The General Nuisance
by Awen Sofer
Summary: This is a sequel to Grimmjow's Personal Assistant.  Minny's divorce to Grimmjow is final, and she is now Vice President of Shinigami Corporation. She has a new and more aggravating man to deal with named Kensei Muguruma.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: This is a sequel to _Grimmjow's Personal Assistant_. To understand the storyline and to know who the OC Minny is you must read that story first. _Dedicated to Cazminx  
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><p>Chapter 1 <p>

_Time has passed just like it always does. Minny Caesara reclaimed her life after her divorce to Grimmjow Jaggerjacques was finalized. She has been promoted to Vice President of Shinigami Corporation by Byakuya Kuchiki. This is where her new story begins._

"Morning, Minny," called Rangiku, her personal assistant. "Here are some files Mr. Kuchiki left for you to look over."

"Thank you. Nothing like getting off to a busy start on Monday," Minny said, taking the sizable stack of folders in her hands.

"Mr. Kurosaki's in your office," her assistant warned a little too late.

"Oh, hell-ooo, Ichigo," she said seeing the orange headed man standing in front of her desk.

"Hello, honey," he replied, taking the folders from her and putting them on her desk.

"What are you doing in my office so early? You usually don't start stalking me until closer to lunch," she only half way joked.

"Why are you so mean to me? You know I love you," he said, trapping her body between his and her desk.

"You're obsessed. You're beyond obsessed actually. Which I find that a cruel joke from karma because I was once obsessed with you," she admitted, leaning back so far she was almost laying on her desk. She was attempting to avoid his searching lips, but she only put herself in a more precarious position.

"Is that so?" he asked, laying down on top of her to kiss her.

"Yeah. And I got to know the real you and that just blew it all to hell." She smiled triumphantly when he backed off with a growl. "Can't you just go back to being my friend? You were so sweet back then."

"Oh, for god's sake, Minny. Why don't you just call me your gay boyfriend and be done with it?"

"Are you?"

"What?"

"Gay?"

"No."

"Then it won't work. Speaking of work, I have things to do. Don't you?" she inquired pointedly.

"Yes, ma'am, I do. And by the way that makes me your boyfriend since I'm not gay. One kiss," he said, kissing her on the cheek and departing from her office.

Minny liked him when he was sweet like that. She wondered what the deal was that overaggressive part of his personality that surfaced occasionally. Anyway, she had work to do instead of thinking about him. She opened to top folder to be greeted with paperwork of a new department that was being developed, and she would oversee its inception. Yippee! The department would take care of organzing the military funerals for soldiers and would be working directly with the military. All military branches would be welcome to use this department. A retired Army Brigadier General would be coming in to the head department. Fantastic. Now she would have a grumpy old man to deal with on a daily basis in addition to the tenacious advances of Kurosaki. After finishing the brief on the new department, she opened the folder of the General Kensei Muguruma. Of course the credentials were outstanding and impressive; no surprise there. His personal information was virtually nonexistent. He would be bringing an assistant with him who was a retired Army Colonel. Damn! Another grouchy geezer to deal with. Tomorrow she would be picking them up at the airport in the morning. She pressed her intercom button to be greeted with her assistant's excessively cheery voice.

"Hey, Rangiku, field trip tomorrow. We have to go the airport first thing," Minny announced.

"Yay! Field trip! What should I wear?" she asked.

"Something that shows off your personality. It will be two old men," she advised.

"All rightie, ma'am. I'll be ready!" she assured her boss. "Incoming!"

Minny looked toward her door just in time to see it open and Ichigo come barreling in. She rolled her eyes, leaning back in her chair. "You know, once upon a time I would have been happy to see you."

"What happened?"

"Your personality got in the way."

"Oh, you're too funny for words," he snapped, sitting on her lap. "Oh, I've missed you already."

"Seriously?" she snorted, trying to shove him off but he was stuck to her like Velcro. She gave up, wrapping her arms around his waist. He was still a good friend who could make her laugh, and she did enjoy his company – sometimes.

"Minny, I- " Mr. Kuchiki stopped in midsentence when he walked into her office to see one of his male Chief Executives sitting in the lap of his female Vice President. "Well, this is a switch. If I didn't know you two so well I'd think this was weird."

Both people in the chair were blushing violently under his scrutiny. At last, Ichigo stood up and walked out of the room. "I'll be going now. See ya later, Mr. Kuchiki."

"Minny, why don't you just sleep with that boy, and let him off the hook?" her boss suggested bluntly.

"Byakuya!" she gasped. She only referred to him on first name basis when they were alone and that was only due to his insistence. "I'm afraid it would only make him worse. He'd want me more."

"Oh, I like confidence but that borders on conceit, my darling."

"Can we get to the real subject you came to discuss, sir?"

"Oh, yes the new department…" 

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><p>Minny wore a black pinstripe suit in the style of man's suit with the exception of a knee length skirt and high heeled shoes. She even wore a black silk tie. She had thrown away every piece of blue clothing she owned including underwear when she received her final divorce papers. Her hairstyle now was usually a loose French twist at the nape of her neck. No glasses were worn – ever. She had admonished Rangiku for her choice of clothing which consisted of a low cut sundress with a wide swingy skirt and high heeled sandals; she was ready for a day of sightseeing, not conducting business. Apparently the only word that had stuck in the woman's mind was 'trip.' They waited at the bottom of the escalators where the passengers descended from the security checkpoints.<p>

Two men in full dress military uniforms appeared at the top of the escalators. They both had their hats pulled low over their eyes so most of their faces were obscured. The front one was the General because the one star could easily be seen on the epaulets on his shoulders. He was just a bit shorter than the Colonel who followed behind. The General was wider built and probably more bulky muscle than the Colonel but there was no doubt they were both in great athletic shape. The men stepped off the escalator walking straight toward the women without the slightest hesitation. When they were still a few yards away, they pulled of their hats to reveal their faces.

"Oh, my god," Minny gasped, as Rangiku's fingers dug into her arm. She hadn't realized her assistant was hanging onto her.

"Oh, god, their gorgeous," she whispered.

True enough they were indeed quite handsome. The General had short light gray hair in a style that looked like an overgrown military buzz cut. He had dark brown eyes that unfortunately appeared to be sharp and severe under a permanently furrowed brow. This however, did not detract from his good looks. The Colonel had longer spikey black hair and dark gray eyes that were just as hard. It must be a military thing to have mean eyes.

"Brigadier General Kensei Muguruma, reporting for duty, ma'am," he professionally declared, clicking his heels together.

"Colonel Shuhei Hisagi, ma'am," he announced in the same strict military fashion.

"At ease, gentleman," Minny replied, resisting the urge to laugh when years of training automatically kicked in and they assumed the at ease position. "I am Shinigami Corporation Vice President Minny Caesara and this is my personal assistant Rangiku Matsumoto."

"You're the Vice President ma'am?" the General asked incredulously.

"Were you expecting a man?" she asked, masking the indignation in her voice.

"Yes, ma'am, I was. Especially since you will be the one helping us set up and develop our department. I assumed the person helping us would not only be a man but would also be a former soldier," he said, glaring down at her with open contempt.

"Brigadier General Kensei Muguruma, let me inform you that I may not be a man and I may not be a soldier, but I am damn good at what I do. You are not dealing with the military now- you are dealing with a business – MY business. You stick to the military part of the project and I will stick to the business part, and we'll both be happy. Do I make myself clear, General?" she demanded loudly in a strong clear voice, returning his burning stare. She had been forceful enough that people around them had stopped to stare at the short woman in the business suit dressing down a one star general.

"Crystal, ma'am!" he bellowed, saluting her.

Minny turned on her heel to walk off before she gave in to the temptation to kick him in both shins. It was immediately obvious to her why Byakuya had given her this assignment. This called for another visit to a hostess club especially for her boss; a different one this time, maybe more upscale and to his liking. She would not let him escape either. She waited at the car while Rangiku went with them to retrieve their luggage and lead them back to the vehicle. He might not be an old man but he sure as hell was a grumpy man. When she saw them coming, she hopped into the car to turn on the engine and pop the trunk. They were two strapping healthy men and they could stow their own damn luggage in the trunk of her vehicle. It was close to lunchtime and Kuchiki had requested she take them out to lunch. Great. It would be even longer before she escape from them. Why had she become the official asshole handler of the company? 'Because you do it so well,' she could hear Kuchiki's velvety deep voice saying to her already. Ikkaku Madarame would have been a much better choice because he was cut from the same irritating cloth these two were; he was even ex-military like the General would have preferred. He was a dumbass, however, when it came to actually organizing and spear heading business operations. That's why he was one of Kenny's top muscle heads in security.

"Ms. Caesara, are you ready?" the General asked.

"Awaiting orders, sir," she replied, unable to hide the sarcasm.

"Drive, soldier," he ordered.

Minny could tell by the sound of his voice he was smiling. She resisted the urge to confirm that by looking in the rearview mirror. She was glad Rangiku had chosen the passenger's seat up front with her. "Sir, we'll be going to a restaurant for lunch where reservations have already been made."

"Are you always so well organized, Ms. Caesara?" he inquired bluntly.

"Yes, sir, I am," she answered.

"Good. We might get along after all."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Ichigo, I swear to god if you start with me I'll kill you right here, right now," Minny growled when he appeared in front of her on her way to Kuchiki's office. She had just unloaded the General and Colonel at their hotel, and she was ready to give her boss a piece of her mind. She brushed past a stunned Ichigo and walked straight into the President's office without knocking. The door was slammed so hard behind her it rattled the glass in his office windows. "Byakuya Kuchiki, what the hell do you mean by doing this to me? I've handled assholes before, but the ones from the military are something new and different."

"Do you mean these military assholes right here?" Kuchiki asked.

Minny turned slowly to see Muguruma and Hisagi sitting in the chairs behind her. She had been so blind with rage and zeroed in on Kuchiki, she hadn't even seen them. Anger kept her from being embarrassed like she should have been. It also kept her mouth going as well.

"Well, damn," she muttered, staring at them. She was shocked to see small, tight grins on their faces. "How in the hell did you get here so fast? I just dropped you off at your hotel. Anyway, I'll get you for this Kuchiki. And you two, I'll deal with you later."

"Such a pleasant woman, Mr. Kuchiki. I'm so glad I'll working directly with her," Muguruma said, smiling brilliantly at her now showing perfect rows of white teeth. His brown eyes had taken on warmth due to the restrained laughter held there.

"Gentlemen, how would like to visit a hostess club since it's your first night in town? You can relax and unwind. It will give you a chance to get to know us a little better as well," she stated in a slightly sultry voice playing with her collar. Hisagi cleared his throat and shifted in his chair while Muguruma continued to grin at her in a way that had turned maniacal.

Byakuya came around his desk to stand beside Minny. He put his arm around her, hugging her to his side. "Well, gentlemen, what do you think? My girl here can set the whole thing up. She's an amazing entertainment director," he said, pinching her painfully on her hip.

Minny resisted the urge to yelp, gritting her teeth. "I can go make the arrangements right now." She tried to move but couldn't because her boss had such a tight grip on her.

"I hate you sometimes," he hissed where only she could hear it. He released her, slapping her on the behind on her way out.

"You're not afraid of a sexual harassment suit, sir?" Hisagi asked with great interest after watching their interaction.

"With that one? No. Besides, she came on to me first," he said, winking at her when Minny spun around to glare at him from the door.

"Is that how she got her position as Vice President?" Muguruma inquired brusquely.

Minny was about to lose her mind with anger until her boss answered the question. "No, sir. She received that promotion because she deserved it. She's very good at her job. I assure you that you are in more than capable hands. There are other people I could have assigned to this job, but I chose her specifically for you. You'll be very happy with her work," he stated in a way that made Minny feel warm inside.

"Are you arranging a marriage or a business deal, Kuchiki?" Muguruma sarcastically demanded.

"Which one would you prefer, sir?" Minny asked, raising an eyebrow. She magically rendered the General speechless with that.

"I suppose we'll get started first thing in the morning?" he asked, clearing his throat.

"Of course we will. If you would like, my assistant, Miss Matsumoto can take you on a tour of the building right now," she suggested, noticing the pleased look on Hisagi's face.

"That sounds great," Hisagi said, standing up to follow Minny out.

"Rangiku, can you please take these two on a tour of the building? I have some things I need to do."

"Yes, ma'am." 

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><p>Minny arrived promptly at eight o'clock in the hotel lobby to pick up the two men for their evening out. She was dressed in a low cut red dress with a short full skirt. Her hair flowed down her back in soft brown curls. She saw them both step off the elevator in unison and begin walking toward her. Her jaw almost dropped when she saw them. Muguruma was dressed in olive green cargo pants, a dark purple tank top, and highly polished combat boots. He appeared to be going out on some type of military maneuver instead of to a club. He also had interesting new additions to his face in the form of piercings: a small gold hoop in left eyebrow and three gold hoops in his left ear. Maybe this man wasn't the starched and stiff military man he appeared to be. Hisagi was dressed simply and casually in black dress pants with an untucked white dress shirt that was open halfway to reveal his muscular chest.<p>

"Ms. Caesara, is that you?" Hisagi asked, his eyes widening as they neared her.

"Yes, Mr. Hisagi. You can call me Minny if you would like since we're out of the office," she offered.

"All right, Minny. Only if you call me Shuhei," he rejoined, offering her his arm to lead her out of the hotel.

"Muguruma, are those piercings I saw?" she asked, turning to look at him.

"Yes, ma'am. I can't wear them in uniform, but I do have a life other than the military you know," he said with a slight bit of irritation in his voice.

"I never would have guessed actually. You seem to be the tight assed military type who is on duty even when he's not," she shot back, getting into her car.

"And you seem to be the bitchy, bitter type who likes taking her anger out on unsuspecting men," he retorted.

"Bitchy, yes. Bitter, no," she corrected him.

"You can call me, Kensei if you would like," he said, sitting in the passenger's seat next to her. "By the way, you look very beautiful tonight."

The compliment caught Minny off guard, but she tried not to show it. She drove to the club, surprised to see that Kuchiki had actually shown up and not bailed on her. This club was much different than the last one because it specifically catered to the obscenely rich and powerful. You had to be somebody or know somebody to even walk in the door. This was not the ordinary businessman's hostess club. Minny stepped out of the vehicle to allow the valet to park her car. Another good looking young man waited at the bottom of the red carpeted steps to lead her to the front doors where Kuchiki stood waiting.

"So is this place a little more to your liking?" she asked him.

"We'll see," he replied vaguely. He greeted Muguruma and Kensei, then opened took her arm as the doors were opened for them by two lovely women.

All of the floors were highly polished wood and the club was decorated with crystal chandeliers and lots of gold fixtures. A familiar blond stood at the podium up front. She smiled and waved happily at Minny.

"I never thought I'd see you again. Oh, my name is Lana by the way," she said to Minny. She was the woman who had helped her at hostess club several months back when she was looking for information about her now ex husband. The men exchanged confused looks as the women continued to talk.

"Well, hello again, Lana. Seems you've done well for yourself. This far above and beyond where I saw you last time."

"Thank you. If you'll follow me, I have a room ready for you."

Minny held onto Kuchiki's arm as Lana led them to a private room. They were seated in comfortable chairs covered in sumptuous light brown suede. There was a bar in the room with a bartender ready and waiting to serve them.

"I have to admit, Minny. This is much better," Kuchiki said. The door opened and three lovely ladies walked in: a blond, a redhead, and a brunette. "Yep, much better."

Minny stifled a giggle. Her boss had changed in shocking ways. Maybe it was her bad influence. She stood up to go to the bar for a drink. She perched on a stool at the end of the bar so she could watch the men behind her. She smiled at the cute young bartender who somehow seemed familiar to her. He was a few inches taller than her with short black hair. She looked into the dark blue eyes and recognized him.

"Hana?" she queried, raising an eyebrow. The boy smiled and she knew it was him. Boy? Well, at some point he had become a man. He was about twenty two years old now she would guess. "I thought you were away at college."

"I'm back for the summer and working here part time for a little extra money," he said, smiling broadly at her. "You're beautiful as always, Minny."

Being away at college had done wonders for him. He had gained confidence and had grown into a nice looking man. This was an unexpected but very welcome surprise. The girls came over to put in drink orders for the men so Minny stayed silent until they left.

"What can I get for you, beautiful lady?" he asked, giving her a flirty grin.

"My, my, my Hana. Keep looking at me like that I might consider dating younger men," she teased.

"Men or man? I'd like to think it would be me in particular. What can I get for you right now?," he asked, putting his hand on top of hers.

Wow! Minny was finding it hard to resist. She could not believe the change in him. "Why don't you surprise me." 'Like you already haven't,' she thought to herself.

"Here you go. Something I created just for you."

"Mmmmm. That's really good," she complimented. It was fruity and sweet and she couldn't even taste the alcohol. "This will have to be my only one since I'm designated driver. At least I've got you to keep me company. So what are your plans after college?"

"I'm not sure yet. I'm majoring in business so I thought about coming back to Shinigami Corporation."

"If you do, let me know. Between Toshiro and myself I'm sure we can find you something. If not, I'll create a position for you," she assured him.

"How can you do that? You're just a personal assistant," he laughed, thinking she was joking.

"Hana, quite a few things have changed since you've been gone. I'm glad we have a little time to talk." Minny filled him in on all of the occurrences since he's been away.

"Amazing. That much has changed?" he asked, watching her nod. He put his hand over hers again, looking into her eyes. "So you weren't just teasing when you said something about dating a younger man?"

"Maybe not, Hana," she answered. What did he put in that drink? She couldn't believe that had just come out of her mouth. Apparently the lack of a certain type of male companionship had made her a little crazy.

"Minny!" Kuchiki called. "Can you come over here?"

Minny had been so busy talking to Hana she had completely ignored them. She squealed when General Nuisance pulled her down onto his lap. Obviously he was feeling his alcohol. She grinned maliciously at the aggravated hostess that was supposed to be his date for the evening sitting next to him.

"How could that little boy over there possibly be more interesting than us?" Kensei asked her.

"You'd be surprised," she answered. Her lips almost brushed his when she turned to look at him. "You should smile more. You're a very handsome man when you do." Dammit! Did she really just say that?

Kensei laughed, making a deep rumbling sound from his chest. "Don't you think we should end this evening? We all have to get up early to be at work."

"I agree. I need to go tell my friend good-bye," she said, walking back to the bar.

"It was great seeing you again, Minny," Hana said.

"Same here. You know where to find me. Good-bye!" she exclaimed, waving to him as she joined the others to leave.

"I'll see you soon," he called after her as they were walking out of the room.

"Who's the kid?" Byakuya inquired.

"He worked in personnel until he left to go to college," she answered.

"Oh, no wonder he looked familiar," he said. "Good night, my dear. See you first thing in my office in the morning."

"Good night, Byakuya." The ride back to the hotel was a silent one. Hisagi quickly got out of the vehicle, thanking her for the evening.

"Can I convince you to come in and have one drink with me?" Kensai asked her.

"Is that why you wanted to hurry up and leave? To get me alone?" she teased. However, the look in his eyes told her that might have been his true intentions. "As much as I would like to, I can't."

"Maybe another time," he suggested. He leaned forward, kissing her on the cheek. "See you in the morning, Minny."

"Good night." Minny stared at his broad shoulders as he walked away allowing her eyes to slide down his back to his narrow waist, then over his hard muscled behind. "Damn, I wonder what that feels like," she muttered out loud to herself. "Oh, my god!" Okay it was time to go home and take a cold shower.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Minny was already in Kuchiki's office the next morning when Muguruma and Hisagi arrived. She was bending over the meeting table looking at blueprints of the fourth floor discussing a suitable place for their offices. Her behind was toward the door so she did not get to see their shocked faces as they walked in. She was wearing a tight straight skirt that hugged every curve, and she had one knee placed in a chair to boost herself further across the table.

"Damn!" both men gasped in unison.

"Oh, Good Morning, gentlemen," Kuchiki said, covering their declaration of surprise for them.

Minny was too busy looking at the blueprint to pay attention to them. She continued marking on the blueprint with the pencil in her hand. Her breath caught in her throat when she felt a hand on her hip and body being pressed against hers as the person beside her leaned over the table. She smiled at Hisagi who appeared in front her across the table where she could see him. Her breath came in shallow inhalations when she knew it was Muguruma's hand on her. He may be an annoying bastard, but he was a handsome, sexy one. She was beginning to wish Byakuya hadn't let them know about their lax office policies on sexual harassment. They had all worked together for nearly two years and knew how far they could push each other. This guy had no clue yet here he was with his hand on her ass.

"General," she said, turning her face to him. "We're discussing blocking out half of the fourth floor for your department's offices. Would you like to go down and see it?"

"I'd like to go down right away," he replied sensually, causing the other two men in the room to cough.

"Would you two like to go alone?" Hisagi inquired, cocking a black eyebrow.

"Aren't things more fun when it's a threesome?" she asked, staring at him. It was the General's turn that time to have something caught in his throat. The whole exchange was juvenile at best. If they wanted to a play a game, she was up for the challenge.

"Then let's go," Hisagi replied, grinning broadly at her.

Minny stood up when Muruguma moved from behind her. She went to her office to grab the set of master keys out of her desk so they could unlock doors and look into the rooms.

"Gentleman, if you'll please follow me," she said, after poking her head into Kuchiki's office. All three men looked way too pleased and happy about something as they smiled in her direction. She sensed a conspiracy, and she was sure it involved her. She allowed an uncomfortable silence to linger as she led them to the floor that would house their department. Professionalism set in as she walked through the empty section, opening doors to show them the rooms, and outlining what she had in mind for their department.

"Your office will be on the top floor. That's where all of the executives and department heads are," she said, turning to face them.

"I prefer to have my office down here so I can be with the people you work with," Muguruma said with the characteristic scowl back on his face. Fun and games time was over for everyone apparently; time to get down to business.

"That's fine, but there will be an office on the top floor for you to use any way you see fit. If would like to look around some more, I will leave you gentleman to it. Since this will be your department you can decorate and arrange it as you wish. Just let me know what you need, and I will be happy to get it for you," she said, apprehension tingling her spine as they both opened their mouths. "Within the bounds of office needs, gentlemen. Make me a list and I will acquire everything you need. I'll be in my office." She bowed slightly, smiling in a tight professional manner before turning to leave.

Once Minny was back in her office she sat down to begin making a list of her own. She was busy going over the files and making mental as well physical lists of things they might need for their offices. She didn't hear the knock on her door or notice when Kensei stealthily slipped into her office. A hand covered her mouth, stifling the scream she inevitably let out. She heard his rich, deep laugh and relaxed in her chair.

"Was there something you needed?" she asked when he let her go.

"Yes, ma'am. Here's our first list. How do we go about hiring employees?" he inquired, handing her the stack of papers.

"Oh, I know just who to take you to. Come with me," she said. "The manager of personnel is Toshiro Hitsugaya. I'll introduce you to him."

"You _are_ very efficient and good at what you do," he complimented, following her to the elevator.

"Thank you, sir," she responded, blushing lightly with pleasure from the compliment.

"Ms. Caesara, could I interest you in a date on Friday night?" Kensei inquired very formally, making her smile.

"Do you think that's a good idea, sir? Dating someone you'll be working so closely with?"

"Sounds like you've had experience with a situation like this."

"Yes, I have. I started out as my ex-husband's personal assistant," Minny said, watching the look of surprise flash across his face.

"Oh, I see. Well, as far as I can see, the only person it sucked for is him. Look at you now, Madam Vice President," he stated, sounding like a proud father.

"Yeah. Look at me now," she muttered as the elevator doors opened. She hurried out of the elevator before he could say anything else. She walked straight back to Toshiro's desk in the corner. "Hi, honey."

"Hey, sweetheart. Long time no see," he said, looking up from his computer screen. "Who's this?"

"Toshiro Hitsugaya, this is Brigadier General Kensei Muguruma, head of the military funerals division. We need your help with getting people hired for the department. Can you make up job order for the website as well as putting out some headhunters? There is a preference for people with former military service but it's not required for all positions," she explained while he scribbled notes on a legal pad in front of him.

"Got it. I'll take care of you like I always do," he assured her. He was enjoying the alarmed and angry look on the General's face.

"Call me. I need to talk to you," she said, before walking away. "See ya later, Toshi."

"Later, sweetheart!" he yelled after her. 'Damn! That woman is an asshole magnet, and she's already found another one," he thought to himself, watching her walk away.

"Anything else on your mind, General?" Minny asked as they entered the elevator.

"You never did answer my question. Can I take you out?"

"Why don't we wait until your department is set up? I will be back in my position exclusively, and you will have your department up and running. We won't be in such close contact every day. Deal?"

"Deal." 

* * *

><p>Minny invited Toshiro over and even cooked dinner for him. After dinner, they sat on the couch together with dessert and a glass of wine. "Hey, you'll never believe who I saw last night," she said excitedly, shoving a forkful of the chocolate cake in her mouth.<p>

"I'll never know if you don't tell me. Come on," he urged impatiently.

"Hana! He was working as a bartender in a hostess club. He was so good looking and grown up! I almost didn't recognize him. And you know what the best part was?" she asked like an overwrought teenage girl. She rushed on when all he did was furrow his brow with aggravation. "He's so self-assured and confident. He even hit on me! I was so surprised."

"Yeah. That makes two of us," he muttered, ignoring his dessert and eyeing her instead. "Speaking of surprised, what's up with General Nuisance?"

"Who?" she laughed, choking on her wine. "General Muguruma?"

"Yeah. That guy. Minny, don't do this to yourself again. I can't stand to see you hurt like that anymore. Why would you even think about it?" he inquired, moving closer to her on the couch.

"Toshi, do you love me?" she asked, hooking her leg around his waist when he edged closer.

"Don't ask such a stupid question. You already know the answer," he replied off handedly.

"Toshiro Hitsugaya, dammit, tell me," she demanded, grabbing him by the collar. She pressed her lips to his, twisting her fingers into the fabric of his shirt to hang on to him tighter. She removed her lips from his but maintained her grip on his collar. "Tell me."

"I love you, Minny. I always have and I always will. I don't push it any further because I want to remain the one constant in your life. The one you can always run to, the one who will always be there, the one you can count on," he said, grabbing handfuls of her long hair.

"You're a sick, sick man, Toshiro Hitsugaya. There's a word for your condition. It's called codependency," she murmured, kissing him again briefly.

"There's a word for you too but I'd rather not say it," he quipped, pulling her in for another kiss.

Now Minny understood how Ichigo feels. She wanted Toshi but at the same time she really did not want to go any further and ruin their friendship. Besides, it was fun to flirt and mess around yet still have that deep friendship. She pushed him down on the couch, sticking her finger in the icing of his untouched chocolate cake.

"Here, taste it," she urged in a sultry voice, sticking her finger in his mouth.

"You're in rare form tonight. You're being a really bad girl," he chided, slapping her on the ass. "Why don't you call Ichigo? Indulge in a good old-fashioned booty call. You need it and you know he wants it."

"Why in the hell does everyone want me to have sex with him?" she growled, getting off the couch. She abruptly turned around, biting her lower lip as she looked at him. "Should I?"

Toshiro grunted and rolled his eyes. He grabbed her phone off the table and furiously began pressing buttons. He took a bite of the cake and downed the wine before getting up to leave.

"Thanks for dinner, sweetheart. It was wonderful as always. You really should cook more often. I'll see you tomorrow at work," he said, kissing her good-bye.

"You're leaving?"

"Yep. Ichigo will be here in fifteen minutes. Have fun."

"WHAT?"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Minny paced nervously as she waited for Ichigo's arrival. She was torn between thanking or killing Toshiro; she wasn't sure which one she wanted to do yet. The doorbell rang and nearly frightened her out of her skin. She ran to the door, forcing herself to take a few deep breaths to calm down. She opened the door apprehensively to see him coolly standing there with a single red rose in his hand.

"Honey," he said, holding the rose out to her.

"Say my name, Ichigo," she demanded.

"Minny."

"Okay, just making sure you remembered it. You always call me honey." She beckoned for him to come in, closing and locking the door behind him. She watched him as he walked away from her into the living room. Seeing him dressed in tight jeans and a body hugging black t shirt made her body quiver. A business suit never looked this good on him.

"Do you know why I call you honey?" he asked, sitting down on the couch.

"No. Why?" she inquired, sitting next to him. Her fingers touched the delicate gold chain around his neck, tracing it down to the odd little pendant at the bottom that looked like some kind of mask.

"Because you're sweet like honey," he said, leisurely tracing the contours of her face with the rose.

"Why not sugar then?" she inquired, closing her eyes when a wonderful shiver of arousal raced up her spine as the silky petals of the rose caressed her face.

"Although sugar is sweet, it is grainy, rough, and feels like sand. Not a very pleasant feeling," he spoke in a low, almost hypnotic voice. He picked a petal from the rose, using it to trace her lips. "Honey is even sweeter than sugar. It also comes from the nectar of a beautiful flower." He pulled her into his lap, placing his hand on her cheek as he held her. He nuzzled her nose with his; bringing his lips so close to hers it felt like an electrical charge was being conducted between them. "Honey is thick and sticky. It covers and coats the tongue. It spreads nicely."

"Holy sh-"she gasped before he cut her off by pressing his lips to hers. Her body was shaking as he kissed her sweetly and gently while he cradled her head in his hands. She sighed when he pressed his lips to hers with more urgency, slowly sliding his tongue into her mouth. He must have liked the taste of the wine and chocolate on her tongue because he moaned loudly. Her body to grew warm and she wanted him as much as he did her. Without breaking the kiss, she moved to straddle his lap. Her hands slid under his tee shirt, pulling it up as she ran her hands over his abdomen and chest. She sat back to jerk the tee shirt over his head.

Ichigo watched her face as she traced the defined muscles with her fingers and stroked over them with her hands. His hands dared to go to her shirt, unfastening the tiny pearl buttons one by one. His trembling fingers pushed aside the thin fabric to reveal her breasts. He inhaled a loud shaky breath. He was excited and mesmerized by the sight of her like a child when they arrive at their favorite amusement park.

Minny buried her fingers into his hair when he pulled her forward to kiss each hardened nipple. She whimpered as his wet, warm tongue ran across one of her nipples while his fingers gently kneaded and pinched the other. At this point she was too far gone to deny him what he wanted or herself what she needed. She had not had sex since Grimmjow, and it had been far too long. A groan was torn from her lips when his hands cupped her behind, pulling her down firmly on the hardness below his waist. His greedy mouth moved to her other breast as he continued to grind against her longing womanhood. Her fingers slid down his hard belly to the button on his jeans.

"Minny," he gasped when he felt her unbuttoning his jeans. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I want you. Don't you want me?" she asked, sliding the zipper down.

"Oh, yes," he whispered, moaning as she slid her hand into his jeans.

Minny seized his member, freeing it from the confining denim. She held his gaze as she slid him into her. It was an almost unbearable moment for the both of them in its intensity because a significant want and need was being fulfilled for the both of him. She kissed him, moving her hips slowly.

"I've wanted you for so long. I can't believe this is happening," he murmured, crying out with pleasure as she sank all the way down on him. His hands held her waist as he raised his hips into her.

"You feel so good," she whispered, unable to talk any louder. She groaned in response to his primal grunts when she quickened the pace and he strengthened his thrusts. Her hands went to his shoulders, digging into the strong muscles there as she forced herself down on him. She moved her hips in small circles feeling waves of ecstasy flowing through her body.

"Oh, god, Minny," he growled, holding onto her as he climaxed from her gyrations. He never knew such a simple, easy thing could bring so much pleasure. He felt the muscles inside her body contracting around him while her orgasm rushed through her body. He smiled when she cried out his name, her body shaking and convulsing from mini orgasmic aftershocks.

Minny kissed him briefly on the lips. She enjoyed the feel of his arms around her while he held her close with his head resting on her chest.

"Do you think this will change anything between us? I mean will we feel weird being around each other work?" he inquired, looking up at her.

"Weird, us? Come on Ichigo. You were sitting in my lap a few days ago when Kuchiki walked into my office. People are so accustomed to us acting weird with each other. They wouldn't expect anything less," she said, smiling broadly at him. "It won't get weird unless you let it. Just calm down. Everything will be fine."

Well, her buddy Toshiro lucked up. He would live to see another day after this. 

* * *

><p>Minny was waiting for the elevator in the lobby the next morning with a slightly lewd grin on her lips and a light blush on her cheeks while her mind replayed last night's encounter. She was so deep in thought she didn't notice when the elevator opened, and she certainly didn't notice the fantastically amused white haired man staring at her.<p>

"Oh, my god! You did it!" he yelled. He laughed loudly at the startled look on her face when he disturbed her from her lustful reminiscing.

"Shut up, Toshi" she hissed, getting into the elevator. She ignored his impish smile and the devilish sparkle in his teal eyes.

"Oh, sweetie, I'm so happy for you!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms around her for a crushing bear hug.

"Are you insane?" she snapped when he let her go.

"Minny, you're gorgeous! You're glowing! You've got that freshly fucked look all over you!"

"Toshiro!"

"Oh, I can't believe it. You two actually did it and got it over with!" he exclaimed.

"Would you shut the hell up?" she growled, punching him in the arm.

The elevator doors opened on the top floor, and she almost fainted when she saw who was standing there. Ichigo was talking with Kuchiki, Kensei, and Shuhei. Oh boy; her day just got a whole lot better.

"Oh, Minny, perfect timing. We were just leaving to go to a breakfast meeting. Glad you could join us," Byakuya said, eyeing her curiously. "Is there something different about you?"

"No, nothing at all," she squeaked because her throat was tight with apprehension.

"Are you sure? There's something…" He continued to look at her to figure out what it was.

"He's right," Kensei agreed, scrutinizing her carefully. "You're positively glowing."

"Am I?" She glared at Toshiro who was barely containing his laughter. She was unable to breathe momentarily when Ichigo brushed against her, hooking his index finger around hers. Nope, this wasn't about to get weird at all.

"It looks more like she had a good f-" Shuhei was abruptly cut off when her high heeled shoe contacted his shin with quite a bit of force. "Owww!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Are you all right? I stumbled a bit. I felt a little dizzy," she said. She was thankful for Ichigo's quick thinking when he held her by the shoulders, pretending to be prepared in case she did faint. This was quite possibly the longest elevator ever.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Minny had just finished ordering the last items on the long list Kensei had given her. She leaned back in her chair, rubbing her tired eyes. The barely audible click of the latch turning on the door alerted her that Kensei was sneaking in – again. They had now been working together for two months. At last she had grown accustomed to the stealth attacks he used to entertain himself by scaring the hell out of her.

"What now General Nuisance?" she inquired without opening her eyes.

"Dammit!" he grumbled. His voice sounded like it came from right behind her. "You caught me. Have I done this just a little too much?"

"Ya think? I just quit shaking like a Chihuahua last week. You made me a nervous wreck."

"Oh, come on, Minny. You're tougher than that."

"Please don't tell me you have more order forms," she begged.

"Okay, I won't," he said, dumping the papers on her desk. He reached around her chair, digging his strong fingers into the tight muscles of her shoulders. "Are you ready to go out with me yet?"

"Is your department up and running?"

"No."

"There's your answer."

"Speaking of answers," he began as she picked up the forms to look through them. "Who is he?"

"What are you talking about?" she asked, shrugging out of his grip despite how good it felt to her sore muscles. She had a sneaking suspicion she knew exactly who he was talking about.

"What name do you scream when you have an orgasm, Minny?" he queried brusquely, turning her chair around to see her.

"That's none of your business, General Muguruma," she replied frostily. She placed the toe of her pointed high heeled shoe against the inside of his thigh. "Is there anything else you would like to ask me?"

Kensei knew immediately he had way overstepped his bounds. He looked down at her foot resting inches below his crotch and decided not to ask any more questions about her lover. He's already witnessed the damage she can do with a kick. "I'm sorry, Minny. He must mean something to you for you to have that kind of reaction."

"I made him wait almost two years for me. Would you like to wait that long, Kensei?" she asked, her eyes never leaving his.

"No. No, I wouldn't," he replied, backing away from her. "When will you have those orders completed?"

"As soon as possible, sir. These are complete," she said, handing him a stack of papers and printed sheets. "Everything there will arrive within the week. Anything else, sir?"

"No. Not today. Would you like to come to my hotel room for a drink tonight? It's been a long week," he stated as if that was supposed to talk her into it.

"Sure. What time?"

Damn. It worked. 

* * *

><p>Minny dressed very casually in jeans and a plain white tee shirt since she was just going to his hotel room. She knocked on the door, looking down the hallway as she waited for him to answer the door. She heard the door open and turned to see something that almost made her drop to her knees and thank God for gorgeous men. He was dressed in nothing but a pair of pants that hung so low on his hips that stray pubic hair the same gray color of the hair on his head curled over the waistband. His body was thick and muscled like a body builder's. She stared at the number 69 tattooed beneath his sternum at top of his taut abdomen. He had the piercings back in. Man, did she want to touch him because he looked so damn luscious.<p>

"Hi, studly, can I come in?" she asked, grinning at him vampishly.

"All right you big tease, come in," he said, moving aside so she could walk in.

Minny looked through the open door that connected his room to Shuhei's room. She waved at him when saw him sitting on the bed shirtless, busy typing on his laptop computer. She noticed he had a 69 tattooed on his left pectoral muscle. The bodies of these two men were fabulous and fun to look at; they were amazing.

"What is the sixty nine tattoo all about?" she inquired.

"The six if for the Japanese symbol that represents my last name and the nine was the number of the military division I led. Junior over there got his after I saved his ass from being blown up on a mission," he explained, staring at her as she moved close to him.

"Wow," she murmured, tracing the number with her finger.

"You're not shy at all are you?" he asked covering her hand with his.

"Should I be? You're half naked right now. As I recall you already had your hand on my ass by the second day you knew me. How is that for not being shy?" she challenged. She could hear Shuhei laughing from the other room.

"Well, then, I suppose I should come right out with it and tell you I had ulterior motives for asking you to come here tonight," he said, walking to the mini fridge in the corner.

"Really? I never would have guessed," she responded sitting down on the end of the bed.

"Should I close the door for this?" Shuhei asked from the next room.

"No. Actually I need you to come in here," Kensei said, handing her the beer he had retrieved from the refrigerator.

"Well, at least I did get my drink," she said, taking a sip.

Minny kept her eyes on Kensei as he sat down in the chair across from her. Her eyes moved to Shuhei when he came in and joined them sitting at the table as well. He sat the laptop computer in front of her when she sat in the chair between them.

"I need you to help us find a place to live. Obviously we can't live in this hotel forever, and it would be nice to have a real home," he stated, trying not to laugh at her confused expression.

"My first question is will you being living in the same place or will you need separate living accomodations?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow as she glanced at one man then the other. She couldn't keep her lips from curling into a grin when they both began to turn a pretty shade of pink.

"Uh, we will each need our own," Shuhei replied, shifting uncomfortably in his chair.

"The matching tattoos, your adjoining hotel rooms, you two are always together. Well, I just assumed…," she stated with a small shrug before going on. "There's nothing to be ashamed of nowadays. And…"

"All right, that's enough Sergeant Smartass. Congratulations. That one won you an honorary title," Kensei growled.

"Do you want to rent or buy?" she asked, taking another sip of her beer. She began asking questions, typing on the computer as she talked. She turned the computer where they could see it, scrolling through pictures of possibilities. They looked through real estate for hours, talking and laughing most of the time.

"Are you ready to stop?" Kensei asked when she began to yawn and rub her eyes. Shuhei had already gone to his room at least an hour ago.

"Yeah. I didn't realize so much time had gone by. I think I'll call a cab and go home. I'm too tired to drive," she said, picking up her cell phone to make the call.

"You don't have to do that. You can stay here if you want to," he offered, hiding a smile behind his hand at her wide eyed expression of shock.

"Do you think that would be good idea?" she asked.

"Probably not. I doubt you'll be able to keep your hands off of me," he teased, moving his hand to reveal his mischievous grin.

"Yeah. If you think you can behave yourself, I'll stay."

"That goes for you as well."

Minny stood up, stretching to release the tension in her shoulders and back. She went to the bed, pulling back the covers to slide in. Once under the sheets and blanket, she wiggled out of her jeans.

"What are you doing?" he asked, watching her pull her pants out from under the covers and lay them on the floor beside the bed.

"You don't expect me to sleep in those do you?" she shot back, snuggling into a comfortable position.

"Of course not. Silly me. Will it bother you that I sleep naked?" he inquired, disappointed there was no reaction from her.

"Just as long as I don't wake up with something hard poking me, sleep however you want." She rolled herself up in the sheet so even if he did want to touch her, he'd have to unwrap her like a mummy first. Within minutes she was asleep. 

* * *

><p>Minny woke up the next morning with her face pressed against something hard yet soft at the same time and very warm. She opened her eyes to see it was Kensei's chest she was against. She closed her eyes, not wanting to move because she was comfortable in his arms with her body pressed to his. He was asleep on top of the comforter, and he still had his pants on. Her heart sped up when she heard him take in a deep breath, and he moved around a bit. She held her breath as he rolled over onto his back, repositioning her so that she was nestled in the crook of his arm and pressed to his side. She laid her hand on his chest over his heart to feel it beat beneath her fingers.<p>

"Are you going to get up or just keep pretending to be asleep?" Kensei asked without moving.

"I'm going to pretend to be asleep just like you," she replied, not budging either.

"Do you want to go house hunting with me today?"

"You mean like just ride around and look for signs stuck in yards? Sure. It could be fun."

"Do you always see everything as a great adventure?" he inquired, rolling over to look at her.

"Yes. It makes life more fun and interesting," she answered, opening her eyes to see his face was mere inches from hers. "Are you going to kiss me?"

"Can I?" He pushed away stray curls from her face, brushing his thumb over her bottom lip.

"Go ahead." Her body tingled when he pressed his lips against hers for their first kiss. It was a brief but pleasant kiss that held no further expectations. Just a taste of more to come. 

* * *

><p>"Hey! What about this place?" Minny asked, pointing excitedly at the Tudor style old English cottage complete with beige stucco walls and trim in dark brown. "Wow, I wonder if a real british person lives here. Look at the amazing flower gardens." A jumbled array of different types of flowers in a rainbow of colors filled almost every open space in the yard in a series of separate little gardens. The one in the very center of the yard had an elaborate fountain and pond in the center made with natural stones.<p>

"What are you doing?" Kensei demanded when she jumped out of the vehicle and began walking to the front door.

"I'm going to see if anyone is home. I want to see the house," she said enthusiastically.

Kensei took his time walking toward the door, watching her anxiously bounce on her toes as she waited to see if someone would answer the door. The woman was insane. Knocking on a strangers door to ask if she could see their house, but it was for sale after all.

"Come on, no one's home," he said. "You can call the real estate company and set up an appointment to see it."

Just as she turned to walk away, the door slowly opened and a little old lady poked her head out."Yes, can I help you, my dear?" she asked in the most eloquent British accent.

"I'm sorry to bother you ma'am but I see your house is for sale. Would it be too much of an imposition to see it?" Minny asked, clasping her hands together as if praying for the woman to say she could.

"Of course not, my dear. Come in, come in," she said warmly, waving her in. "Tell that man of yours to quit gawking and get in here as well."

Minny bit her lip to hold back a laugh, especially when she saw Kensei's gaping face. "Well, you heard the lady. Come along, sweetheart," she said, smiling like a Cheshire cat at him. "I'm Minny Caesara, ma'am."

"I'm Mrs. Acklund . Nice to meet you, dear," she replied, turning her curious nearly colorless blue eyes to Kensei.

"This is my man, Kensei," Minny introduced, feeling his eyes burning into the back of her skull.

"Nice to meet you too, young man," she said, shaking his hand while he nodded at her. "You two can look around as much as you like. You can go the backyard as well. Don't be shy," the lady said pleasantly.

"As if she had a problem with that," Kensei muttered, being pulled up the stairs to the second flloor by an exuberant Minny.

"I thought you'd be happier about being my man, Kensei. You hurt my feelings," she murmured, opening the door to one of the rooms to look inside.

"I am. I mean I would be if I really was," he said, wondering if she had even heard him. She was like a child let loose in a candy shop as she looked at everything, touched a lot of things, and all things were interesting.

Minny let the subject drop because she became too absorbed in looking at the house. She did not speak until she had completed looking around in the backyard that was as elaborately landscaped with traditional English gardens and fountains as the front yard along with a large sitting area and a hammock.

"Kensei, if you don't want this house, I do. I love it," she said happily as she spun around in a circle with her arms out like a little girl.

Kensei couldn't help but smile. He had seen so many different sides to this woman he wondered if she had multiple personality disorder. "I'll think about it. Can we go?"

"Yes, of course," she answered, sounding a little dejected from his evasive response. Minny wanted to speak to the home owner before they left. "Mrs. Acklund?"

"In here, my dear!" the woman called from a room nearby.

Minny walked into room decorated like an old fashioned parlor where the elegant English lady was having tea.

"What did you think?" Mrs. Acklund asked with a friendly smile on her face.

"I loved it. I'll contact the real estate company on Monday," she assured the woman.

"Wonderful. I think you and your husband will be quite happy here," she said, eyeing the couple carefully.

Kensei opened his mouth to speak but stopped when he felt Minny grab his hand.

"I'm sure we will. Thank you so much," she said, pulling him toward the front door. "Thank you for not saying anything. She seemed quite happy to believe we were a couple. Do you want to look around some more?"

"No. No I don't," he answered quietly.

"What is it? What's wrong? Did I make you angry?" she inquired nervously.

"No that's not it at all."

While he had watched Minny during her childlike exploration of the house, he had experienced feelings for her he did not expect. After the old woman's mistaken assumption, it made him start thinking. It made him think about a lot of things he had not considered before like getting married and having children. He wanted it with Minny. Was there even the slightest chance she would want to get married again? And to him? Why was he thinking all of this crazy stuff?


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Minny sat on her couch staring out of the window of her apartment at the world below. She would miss this view, but she would have an even better one full of beautiful flowers and a lush green lawn. A home of her own; she could hardly stand the excitement. She had already called and left a message for a real estate agent to call her. Her doorbell rang, and her body tingled all over with anticipation. She couldn't wait to tell Ichigo the news of what she had found.

"Hi, honey!" he exclaimed brightly. He was always so happy to see her .

"Come on in, sweetie," she said, sliding her arms around his neck as he kicked the door closed. She gave him a quick kiss, but he pulled her back for more. She sighed contentedly when he held her close to him after the kiss.

"What are you so happy about today, my love?" he asked, kissing her on the tip of her nose.

"Ichigo, I found the most beautiful house. I'm going to buy it," she told him, bouncing in his arms with the sheer joy of the thought.

"You're not thinking about getting married again are you?" he inquired, a big smile creeping across his face.

"No!" she replied a little too harshly, wiping the smile right off his face. She had the vicious ability to burst his bubble with a single word.

"Why were you out looking at houses?" he asked, his orange eyebrows knitted together quizzically.

"Uh…I was helping Kensei find a place," she reluctantly answered.

"Who? Oh, the General. On a first name basis and everything huh?" His eyes narrowed with suspicion as he looked at her. His arms fell from her body to hang limply at his sides. "Where were you last night? I came over and you weren't here."

"Excuse me. Did I miss it when we agreed to be in a real relationship?" she demanded, backing away from him. Apparently, there was about to be clarification on their relationship status.

"I just thought since we were having sex now that we were in a real relationship," he replied defensively.

"Since when, especially in this day and time, is one mutually exclusive of the other? I didn't realize you assumed that. I was thinking more along the lines of friends with benefits. Anyway, you had a date last night," she pointed out, watching his face slowly turn bright red.

"I did, but-" he ceased talking when she raised her hand to stop him.

"Okay. So you're telling me that I'm supposed to be here for you whenever the desire strikes you to come over. You expect me to wait for you, even while you're out dating other women?"

"That's not what I'm saying at all. What I meant was you could have at least let me know you were going to be out. Wait a minute…so you spent the night with him last night?"

"Yes, and I slept with him too," she said. Malicious delight crept through her as a red color crawled up his neck to his face from anger. "Oh, calm down. I mean that in the literal sense. I stayed too late looking at real estate websites and couldn't drive home because I was too sleepy. All I did was sleep, nothing more."

"Oh, okay," he said in disbelief, eyeing her warily.

"Hey, we just had our first lover's quarrel!" she exclaimed and was way too happy about it. "You wanna have make up sex?"

No wonder she was happy about it. 

* * *

><p>"He got you again, didn't he?" Kensei asked when he walked into her office.<p>

"What?" Minny asked, busily typing on her computer

"You have that look again," he said, sitting in the chair in front of her desk. He redirected the conversation when she ignored him. "Have you heard anything about the house?"

"Yes, I've already made the offer and have my financing. I should know for sure by tomorrow if it's mine. Here," she said, handing him a piece of paper with a list of times, names, and addresses. "This is a list of your appointment times and addresses of the properties you wanted to see. I included the names of the contacts you'll speak with."

"You are truly astounding. I can certainly see how you made it to your present position. I really am sorry about making the assumption that you slept your way here," he stated, avoiding her eyes when she glared at him.

"I thought you were just messing with me that day. You were sincere? Wow! You really can be an asshole, can't you?"

"I'll take that as a compliment coming from the Bitch Queen."

"Will there be anything else, sir?" she asked formally.

"Would you like to come with me?" he inquired, giving her a big boyish grin.

"Sure. Let me finish this," she replied. "It won't be long now before your department will be operational. Do you know where you're taking me yet?"

"If I'm in my own place, I'll cook dinner for you," he said.

"Ooooh, really? Well, come on then, let's go find you a house!" 

* * *

><p>"This is in the same neighborhood as my house," Minny stated with surprise when they were almost at the next address on the list.<p>

"It's across the street," he added, turning onto the street that led to 'her' house.

"I didn't even notice it the other day."

"You were so excited about the house you found that you didn't notice much of anything afterward."

"You're right about that," she said, laughing at herself. She did get quite worked up about it.

"Here it is," he announced. After parking, he walked around and opened her door. He took her hand and helped her out onto the sidewalk.

"Oh, thank you, Prince Charming," she teased, waving to the real estate agent who stepped out onto the front porch of the house. The woman smiled and waved back, waiting patiently for them to make their way to the door.

"You must be Mr. Muguruma. And you're Minny right? His personal assistant who set up the appointment," the woman pleasantly said, shaking her hand.

Minny refrained from correcting the woman on her mistake. She would have screamed in the woman's face, 'No, I'm not his personal assistant you pretentious dimwit. I'm his boss!'

"Yes, we are," he replied, reaching out to shake the woman's hand. "Shall we, dear?"

It was a sprawling single story home that had five bedrooms each with its own bathroom. This house was new and modern with hardwood floors throughout. Everything from the light fixtures to the faucets in the bathrooms were highly polished silver. The kitchen looked like something out of a chef's magazine with restaurant quality equipment. There was a fireplace in the living room made out of huge stones that had been brought from the nearby river; according to the real estate agent at least. Whether it was true or not, it was an interesting selling point.

"So what do you think, sir?" Minny asked when they finished their tour.

"I think I want it," he replied.

"All right. We can work up the offer right now if you would like," the agent offered, setting her briefcase on counter.

"Go ahead. I'll go to the backyard and wait," Minny said, walking out of the back door as the paperwork was spread out over the granite countertop in the kitchen. She went to the simple homemade swing tied to the ancient oak tree that covered half of the back yard with its branches. She sat down and pushed off with her foot. Her mind was flooded with memories from her childhood. She remembered the innocence, the freedom, and the love that she had from her family. Life was great until she was about twelve and it all began to go awry. That was when she first knew there was something unseemly about the way her brother loved her.

_Minny was waiting in a swing at the park near their house for the boy she had a crush on. He shyly made his way over to her where she sat absentmindedly digging her toes into the sand that was spread under the swings. She looked up with surprise, returning his nervous grin._

_ "Minny, do you like me?" he asked, coming closer._

_ "Yes," she gulped nervously._

_ "Can I kiss you?"_

_ "Yes."_

_ Relationships are so simple for children. Minny could feel her stomach flip flopping with anticipation and anxiety because she was about to receive her first kiss. He knelt down in front of her to be on her level, putting his hands on her waist. The boy's lips touched hers for that awkward, nerve racking first contact. When he backed away, they smiled at each other before he leaned back in to kiss her again. Minny gasped with surprise when she felt his lips unexpectedly being ripped from hers._

_ "Oh, no," she gasped breathlessly when she saw her sixteen year old brother holding the boy by the collar ready to punch him. "Sosuke, no! Please don't hurt him! I wanted him to kiss me!"_

_ "What?" he bellowed, turning his furious eyes on her. He let the boy go, shoving him away. "Get lost kid!"_

_ Minny's body shook with fear as he reached for her. She cried out when he slapped her face. She closed her eyes because she could not bear to look him in the eye. The emotions she saw there were terrifying._

_ "Don't you ever let any man touch you! Do you want to be called a little slut? You're beautiful and perfect. I'll protect you," he said, crushing her body against his. "No man will ever love you like I do."_

Minny shivered as the words echoed in her head. Her brother was damn sure right about that. She was thankful no man ever did love her like he did with that sick perverted kind of love. The way he had loved her was just WRONG; there was no better way to describe it. She quickly wiped away the single tear that had made its way from her eye and was sliding down her cheek. She closed her eyes, willing herself to calm down from the unwanted and unexpected trip down memory lane.

"Are you ready to go?" Kensei asked.

Minny was so startled she almost fell out of the swing. She smiled at him as he bent down on one knee in front of her.

"Are you all right?" he inquired, his eyebrows drawing together with concern as he looked at her face.

"Of course. I'm fine. I guess I'm just a little tired," she stated in a low voice that sounded weak.

"Come on then. I'll take you home," he said, putting his arm around her shoulders after he helped her stand up.

Minny was thankful for his strength because at this moment she had none of her own. Dealing with the ghosts from her past still terrified her. The ride home was a silent one, each person deep in their own thoughts. Neither one of them spoke until they were standing in front of her apartment door.

"Thank you," she said, her fingers shaking as she tried to put her key in the lock.

"Would you like for me to come in for a little while?" Kensei asked, placing his hand over hers to help her get the key into the lock.

Minny knew it would be a bad idea. If she invited him in right now, she would have sex with him. "No. I'm just tired. I need some sleep that's all," she said, opening the door.

"Good night, Minny," he said, kissing her on the forehead.

"Good night, Kensei. I'll see you in the morning." She offered him an apologetic smile as she slowly closed the door. She leaned against the door, digging through her purse for her cell phone.

"Hi, honey," Ichigo's voice came through the phone, soothing her raw nerves.

"I need you," she said, her voice breaking as tears flowed down her cheeks.

"I'll be right there."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Minny was in Kensei's office on the fourth floor finalizing some paperwork with him. In two weeks he would be here permanently and his department would be fully functional. She was standing beside him as he sat at his desk. She bent over to show him where to sign the documents. She had stopped one button too soon when fastening her shirt because it fell open to expose most of her breast which filled his vision and captured his attention.

"Kensei! Are you listening to me?" she asked when he did not sign on any of the lines she had pointed to.

"Nope. I'm too busy looking at something smooth and creamy white that I'd love to taste," he replied, licking his lips.

"A milkshake?" she inquired.

"Hmmmm…well, under certain circumstances it would be full of milk and if I picked you up and shook you…" He moved his eyes to hers, raising his eyebrows with a mischievous grin on his face.

"Really? That was just nasty," she laughed.

"Then why are you laughing?"

"Would you just sign the damn papers already?"

Her phone rang, and she checked the number. She cried out with happiness because the real eastate agent was finally calling about the house. She had received a call on Tuesday only to be told they were in negotiations because there were other offers on the house. Today was Friday. "Oh, my god! I've got to take this," she said breathlessly, flipping open the phone.

Kensei sat back in his chair to watch her. She was so entertaining when she saw the house, he couldn't wait to see what she did now. He folded his hands behind his head and prepared to watch the show.

"Minny Caesara," she announced into the phone, pacing back and forth. "Yes…that's the house…What?...Are you sure?...That's wonderful. Thank you so much. I'll be there at five to sign the final documents."

Neither one of them was prepared for what she did next. Minny shrieked with joy, doing a little happy dance before she bolted toward him. She jumped on top of the desk, sliding right off into his lap. Thank goodness nothing was on the desk yet because it would be on the floor now. She pressed her lips hard against his for a passionate kiss that left both of them panting when she pushed him away.

"I'm assuming the house is yours," he puffed, his face blushing dark red. He wished it were possible for her to buy a house every week.

"Yes, yes, it is. And oh, my god. I'm so sorry," she apologized, her face turning pink as a light sweat broke out over her upper lip and forehead.

"For what?" he asked, putting his hands around her waist.

"For not doing that sooner. DAMN!" she exclaimed, grabbing his tie and pulling his lips back to hers. She grunted when he picked her up and sat her on top of the desk. Her fingers untwisted his tie and unbuttoned his shirt as he kissed her. She gasped when she felt his hands over her breasts squeezing them through her shirt.

"Minny," he moaned against her lips when her hands slid over his strong chest. He pulled her shirt out of her skirt, sliding his hands under it. He was too impatient to fool with all of the buttons, and he didn't want to rip it off since they were at work.

Minny groaned when his tongue slid over hers. Her hands roamed lower, gliding over his hard abdomen. She heard his sudden intake of breath when her fingers deftly opened his pants and grabbed him. She knew she should stop, but she just couldn't. This man affected her on a base animal level and she wanted him – she had wanted him since that night at his hotel.

Kensei didn't know whether to be glad or upset that she was able to get to him so fast. He pushed up her skirt, pulling her underwear to the side so he could push into her. They were both enjoying this far more than they should be. There was an uncivilized sensuality to the sex that was arresting, making it impossible for them stop. Rational thought was definitely not an option because that had fled by the second kiss.

"Kensei," she cried out. She pulled his mouth over hers to stifle the moans, groans, and other various odd noises of pleasure that she couldn't hold back.

"You're a noisy one aren't you?" he whispered in her ear, thrusting into her hard enough to make her yelp loudly.

"Maybe you just feel that good inside of me," she snarled through her teeth, biting him on the shoulder.

"Ahhh, damn!" he exclaimed, moving faster inside of her as he pushed her down on the desk.

Minny's eyes greedily took in the glorious and arousing sight of him thrusting in and out of her. His body glistened with a fine sheen of sweat making her want to lick him all over. She told him this which excited him so much he was actually moving her back and forth across the desk he was shoving so fiercely. She unbuttoned her shirt, opening it so he could see her breasts.

"Oh, Minny," he groaned, pulling her up so he could kiss each one.

Minny squirmed underneath him, calling out his name as he licked and sucked each nipple. She grabbed two fistfuls of his hair, arching into him when she was nearing a mind-blowing orgasm. When it finally did overtake her, she sank her teeth into his brawny shoulder to hold back a scream.

"Damn, woman, are you going to eat me alive?" he grunted, his face pinched with pain.

"I might if you don't climax soon," she threatened, nipping his bottom lip. He brought out her beastly side. She sat up, placing her hand firmly on the back of his head to pull his ear down to her mouth. She traced his ear with her tongue, kissing his earlobe before she briefly sucked on it.

"All right. That's it," he snarled, pushing her down on the desk. He held her down with hand planted firmly between her breasts as he rammed into her like a madman, sweat rolling down his face and chest.

Minny gazed at him in all of his fabulously oversexed glory as he experienced the pinnacle of every good sexual encounter. She pushed away his hand, sitting up to hold his body against hers as he convulsed with the aftereffects of his powerful orgasm. She accepted his brief kiss on grateful lips as he stood up to only fall backwards into his desk chair. A lazy, wanton smile curled her lips. She felt as content as a cat in cream.

"What are you thinking about?" he laughed. "I wish you could see your face. You look like a drunken Cheshire cat."

"I feel like one too," she sighed, standing up to pull herself together. She squealed with surprise when he slapped her on the ass.

"That's for biting me. I'm going to buy you one of those special fetish gags that has a ball to stick in your mouth. You can bite on that instead of me," he said as he redressed.

"You're that sure I'll have sex with you again?" she asked, turning to face him.

"Now that you're looking at me with that tone of face - no, I'm not," he answered, buttoning his shirt.

"Well, we'll just have to see won't we?," she stated ambiguously, helping him with his tie.

Kensei watched her as she was adjusting his tie and collar. He was now convinced she was a form of human crack, and he was thoroughly addicted. He took her into his arms, kissing her gently on the lips.

Minny stared at him, shocked by the sudden display of tenderness after the forceful brute sex. She guessed it was all part of the duality of being a soldier. They have to be rough and violent as well as soft and kind. It can't be an easy thing to go to war and take the lives of enemies then come home to return to be loving spouses and parents. She placed her hand on his cheek, rising on her tiptoes to kiss him again.

"What was that for?" he asked, looking into her eyes that were slightly watery.

"Just because," she whispered, blinking quickly to hold back the tears. "Now, we have work that has to be done."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Guess what?" Minny yelled into the phone with excitement.

"You got the house?" Ichigo guessed because he already knew by the her unmistakably thrilled tone. "Congratulations, honey. When do we get to try out the bedroom?"

"Sunday night. I hired a moving company. They'll be here first thing in the morning. I'm paying extra for them to move me on the weekend and set up the big stuff like the bed. So plan on that, sweetheart. I'll even cook dinner for you," she promised.

"How could I refuse an offer like that? I'm going out tonight. I'll talk to ya later, honey. "

Minny's doorbell rang which surprised her. She wasn't expecting guests. She peeked through the peephole to see Gin and Rangiku. What a delightful surprise!

"Hi! Come on in!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"This is yours," Rangiku said, handing her the bottle of champagne. "Congratulations on your house."

"Rangiku told me the good news, and I insisted we stop by to see you," Gin said, hugging Minny and kissing her on the cheek.

"You two seem to doing great. How long has it been now?" Minny asked.

"Almost a year. We've got some good news of our own," Rangiku announced, holding up her left hand.

"NO!" her boss cried out, grabbing her hand to inspect the sizable diamond. "Oh, Mr. Ichimaru, you have truly outdone yourself. That's gorgeous. Congratulations!"

"Would you like to go out and celebrate with us?" Gin asked.

"Sure. Let me make a phone call so I won't be a third wheel." Minny called Ichigo. She was almost deafened by the sound of the loud music and giggling girls that came through the phone when he answered. She hung up and texted him to disregard the call since he was busy. She quickly dialed another number. A smile played at the edges of her lips as she waited for Kensei to answer. He was more than happy to accept her invitation.

"Find a date?" Rangiku inquired.

"Yep. We need to stop by his hotel to pick him up," Minny said.

"The General?" she asked.

"Yes."

"I knew you had the hots for him!"

"How old are you?" Minny teased, casting a mock scowl at the woman. "I'll be right back."

Minny returned fifteen minutes later dressed in a body hugging black dress with a plunging neckline and high hemline. She wore rhinestone studded high heels and diamond jewelry.

"All right, beautiful. Let's go get your man," Gin said, ushering both women out of the apartment. "I am the luckiest man on earth right now to be with two lovely ladies."

"Awwww, you're so sweet," the women cooed in unison.

"It's easy to see why you fell in love with him," commented Minny, winking at Gin. She knew quite well why Rangiku fell in love with him because she knew him better than his fiancée. She was glad that he was able to find someone who loved him.

They talked and laughed on the ride to the hotel. When they arrived, Minny got out to retrieve Kensei.

"I thought you told me she was seeing Kurosaki," Gin said, watching her enter the front doors of the hotel.

"No, she's only having sex with him," Rangiku explained as if it was so much better that it was ONLY sex. She noticed he did not have a reaction at all to that. "She has a crush on Mr. Muguruma."

"That just sounds so juvenile, Rangiku," he admonished his fiancee. He wondered if Minny would ever be able to have a 'normal' relationship. He blamed her brother for it. Sosuke Aizen was the one who destroyed her emotionally where men are concerned.

"Look! Here they come! Oh, damn, he's even better looking out of uniform. Look at all those piercings! I wonder if his tongue is pierced," she murmured aloud, staring at him as they walked to the car.

"Rangiku!" Gin hissed.

"Sorry, darling. I'm engaged, not dead – or blind," she muttered.

"Or mute either," he added, rolling his eyes.

Minny jumped into the car, pulling him in behind her. Introductions were made and all of the typical formalities were exchanged. Then they were off to the restaurant.

"Oh, Minny, I forgot to tell you," Kensei said. "I got the house. I'll move in next week."

"Congratulations, my dear!" she exclaimed, kissing him on the lips. "You know how I love to celebrate that kind of news!"

"Yes, I do," he responded with a flirtatious little growl, kissing her again.

Gin and Rangiku exchanged questioning glances. Who knew buying a home was _that_ exciting?

"So, you two want to join us or should we carry you back to the hotel?" Gin asked, staring at Minny in the rearview mirror.

"No. We'll behave. We have a lot to celebrate," she said, grinning like a lovesick girl at Kensei.

"Oh, good grief," Gin muttered under his breath.

"Darling, did you say something?" Rangiku inquired sweetly.

"No, dear, not a thing," he sighed.

The conversation turned to polite small talk so everyone could get comfortable and have a good time. Minny was relieved when Kensei and Gin found something in common that they could talk about even if it was weapons and combat tactics. She and Rangiku began making wedding plans when the realization struck her that her assistant would be quitting. Gin lived two hours away, and she certainly didn't expect her to make a four hour daily commute.

"Well, this blows! You're a great personal assistant. I hate to lose you," Minny said, reaching forward to squeeze her shoulder.

"I won't be leaving for another six months at least," Rangiku responded with a little bit of sadness.

"Tonight is for celebrating, and we'll worry about that when it comes," she stated with more cheerfulness than she felt. "Besides, you will be leaving for something far greater – for the love of an amazing man." Minny's eyes met Gin's briefly in the rearview mirror for a speechless exchange that relayed a thousand unspoken words between them. She could see that he had finally let go of her, and she was letting him know that it was okay. There was a special bond between them, however, that could never be broken by time or man. One fateful night, one terrible deed, would forever bind them together in guilt and silence.* 

* * *

><p>Author's Note: To understand this event between Minny and Gin, it is imperative that you have read the first story, <em>Grimmjow's Personal Assistant<em>. A whole chapter covers exactly what terrible deed was done and how Gin was involved. Thanks for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Minny was tired. It had been a long day of moving. The movers had only left two hours ago, and it was ten o'clock at night. She flipped on the lights in the backyard and walked to the hammock. Once she was situated and comfortable, she closed her eyes. The cool breeze blew over her, gently rocking the hammock like a swing. Before long, she felt herself falling into that wonderful abyss called sleep.

Unbeknownst to her, Minny had a stealthy visitor who had picked the lock on the garage entrance door and was prowling through her house. He searched every room and was on the verge of panic because he could not find her. Then he noticed the lights in the backyard. It didn't take long for him to find her asleep in the hammock. Kensei studied her as she lay there in peaceful slumber, completely oblivious to his presence. His eyes took in the sight of her dressed in nothing but a tiny tank top and cut off shorts. She looked so lovely and sweet, almost innocent despite her obvious lack of clothing. He gave in to the temptation to touch her creamy white skin, sliding his fingers up her silky bare arm. A grin tugged at his lips when goose bumps rose on her skin causing her to stir briefly and emit a plaintive moan. He gathered her into his arms to take her into the house and put her to bed. Thank goodness he had come by to check on her; she might have gotten sick – or worse – if she had slept outside in that hammock all night long. When he lay her down on the bed, hovering over her to kiss her briefly.

"Please, no!" she cried out, curling into a ball as if to protect herself. "Please, don't touch me. It hurts!"

It took Kensei a minute to realize that she was not talking to him, and she was still asleep. He sat down beside her, watching her as she experienced a nightmare in the form of a past memory.

_Minny woke up dumbstruck with fear. Her brother was laying on top of her with his hand over her mouth. He had snuck into her room again. His late night visits had started on her sixteenth birthday when he had a very 'special' present to give her. She thought they would stop when he left for college. However, on his visits home he would skulk into her room every chance he could find and steal a little more of her innocence and her sanity._

_"Don't scream. You know you're not supposed to scream," he whispered now that she was fully awake. He removed his hand from her mouth, replacing it with his lips._

_ "Please don't do this. Please stop," she begged, trying to shove him away._

_ "I've missed you. I want to show you how much I love you. I've already told you that no other man can love you like I can," he said, covering her breasts with his hands as he kissed her neck._

_ "Sosuke, please this isn't right! Stop!" she hissed, attempting to fight him off but it was useless. He was nearly a foot taller than her, and he was a football player on his college team._

_ "You're mine. You belong to me," he snarled into her ear. He clamped his hand back over her mouth, smothering her scream as he ripped off her underwear.  
><em>

"No! Please, stop! You can't! NO!" Minny screamed fitfully, tears streaming down her face. She fought Kensei with astonishing strength born from fear as she struggled to get away from him like her life depended on it. He knew she was still asleep, or somewhere in between, reliving some dreadful event. He continued to hold her down so she wouldn't hurt herself before she regained her senses.

"Minny? Minny! Please, wake up!" Kensei yelled in her face, shaking her to wake her up.

Minny opened her eyes, gulping in air as if she had been underwater and had found the surface. Her mouth opened to emit the most horrifying, anguished howl he had ever heard, and he had heard some terrible sounds of pain and agony from men who lay injured or dying on the battlefield.

"Oh, god Minny," he whispered, holding her close as she bawled like a frightened child. "What the hell happened to you?" He held her as her whole body convulsed from the violent, mournful sobs.

"Kensei, I'm sorry," she apologized once she calmed down enough to talk. She was still spastically heaving for air from her fierce crying fit. "I'm really sorry. I guess I just let myself get too tired and overwhelmed."

"No – that's not it at all. Whatever upset you was triggered by being tired. So what was the memory?" he asked, forcing her to look him in the eye. "Hey! Tell me."

Minny nodded her head without saying a word. She closed her eyes so she would not have to look into his deep brown eyes that filled with worry and apprehension as they studied her pale face.

"What happened to you? Who was it? What did they do? Please, tell me," he begged, holding her face between his hands. "Minny, please. I want to love you, but you have to trust me. You have to let me into your world."

"I-it w-was m-my b-brother," she stuttered, barely able to talk coherently.

"What did he do? It's all right, sweetheart. I'm here with you. It's in the past. It can't hurt you now. I've experienced some awful things myself. I'll understand, I promise," he whispered, hugging her briefly.

Minny stared at him with her puffy, red rimmed eyes. No one had ever told her that the past didn't have to hurt her anymore. It seems like a simple concept, but she had missed the point of confronting the pain instead of running from it. Obviously, she had run as far as she could. She would have to eventually trust a man with the secrets of her past so she could trust him with her heart. She had wanted to tell Ichigo a thousand times, but she just didn't think he could understand the truth about her. "My brother raped me on my sixteenth birthday. He said it was my present. He said only he loved me. That no other man would ever love me."

"Oh, sweetheart, oh my god," he gasped, pulling her into him pressing her cheek against his chest. So many things about her suddenly made sense: her catty, tough attitude and sometimes unrelenting anger; her screwed up relationships with men; even the shocking and very enjoyable yet inappropriate encounter with him in his office.

"He would force me to have sex with him every chance he could get after that." She continued telling the horrid, tawdry story without emotions like she were a robot.

Poor Kensei had inadvertently opened a virtual Pandora 's Box of bad memories so alarming an repulsive he almost couldn't bear to listen. He rocked her slowly as he cradled her in his arms to comfort her. He was a hard-nosed, battle worn soldier who had seen his share of gore and human suffering, but he had never heard of anything like this. What was even more disturbing was that the abuse didn't stop until she was a grown woman in her twenties. She had to run and hide to get away from him; to make a whole new life for herself. It never ceased to amaze him how psychologically damaged humans can find endless barbaric ways to make innocent people suffer at their hands. There were deep emotional wounds and sometimes scars that don't go away from experiencing the horrors of war so he could understand how her brother's selfish and loathsome actions had affected her and still affect her. He wondered if he wouldn't be emotionally damaged himself from hearing about the ordeal she endured for years at the hands of her own brother. When she was quiet at last, he lay down with her on the bed, holding her protectively against him. They were lying face to face, looking at each other in silence as they both recovered from the shock of her confession.

"Minny, I won't ever let anyone hurt you again," he vowed when he finally spoke minutes later.

"Don't make promises that you can't keep," she said quietly. 'I believe the biggest danger I face right now is from you, Kensei,' she thought to herself as she looked deeply into his eyes while she stroked his cheek and neck. 'I think I've fallen in love with you.'

"What are you thinking about?" he inquired, raising her hand to his mouth to kiss the back and each one of her fingertips.

Minny bit her lower lip, closing her eyes to luxuriate in his display of affection. For him to be a big tough soldier, he was the sweetest and most tender man she had ever known when he did show his fondness for her with little romantic gestures. "Thank you. Thank you for being here with me tonight. Why were you here?" she asked, a suspicious eyebrow raising high.

"I just wanted to come by and check on you. I knew you'd be tired so I wanted to make sure you were okay and didn't need anything," he explained which was half of the truth. He had also planned a covert mission to get her into bed with him because it was more fun than asking. He accomplished that but not in the way he had intended.

"You're so thoughtful," she sighed, giving him a peck on the lips. "That sounds sweet but I'm sure you were actually sneaking in to catch me somewhere in the house and seduce me."

"Yes, ma'am I was," he admitted, kissing her back.

"You're as weird as I am, you know that right?"

"Maybe that's why we get along so well."

"Maybe so," she responded, moving closer to him on the bed so that her lips grazed his. "Here's your chance. We're even already in the bed."

"Are you sure?" he asked, pulling his head back to look into her eyes.

"I've had enough of the past tonight. I want to experience something beautiful in my future. You can make that happen," she whispered, returning the intensity of his gaze.

"Minny, I lo-"

"Don't say that now. I want you to be sure. I've already had someone change their mind once about loving me. I can't bear it again."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Minny demurely raised her eyes to Ichigo across the table from her as they ate. She knew she needed to have serious conversation with him about their relationship. They were playing with the proverbial fire here and someone was without a doubt going to get burned. Besides, a relationship like this was not practical and completely unsustainable. They couldn't play around with each other's emotions forever, and it was time to stop. The idea of a no strings attached relationship is a complete myth; at some point, someone _always_ gets hurt. She put her elbow on the table, propping herself up with a fist on her cheek while her glance evolved into an open stare. She smiled when he glanced at her then his cheeks started to turn pink from her intense observation.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" he asked, tentatively shifting his big brown eyes to hers. He could be so cute when he acted shy.

"Because you're cute," she replied, her smile growing until it nearly split her face in half when his blush blossomed to a lovely rose red. It was comical that such a benign comment could embarrass him especially since he skirted the edge of being a sexual deviant sometimes.

"What's on your mind?" he inquired, now returning her acute gaze.

"We need to talk," she said, feeling her stomach clinch nervously from the long sigh he released.

"I knew this was coming," he murmured, standing up from his chair. He held out his hand to her, pulling her up.

"So you're not surprised? Or upset?" She pulled him into the living room, and they sat down on the couch side by side. She leaned over on him when he put his arm across her shoulders.

"Surprised, no. Upset, yes. Come on, Minny, give me a little credit. Even though I don't always act like it, I am an adult. I can tell when something is going on even when nothing is said."

"So what do we do now?" she asked, laying her head on his shoulder.

"Well, I do love you, Minny. I've always wanted you to be a part of my life. I think both of us know already that I will never be your husband. I'll just have to be content with being the one you will always come back to no matter what. Maybe when we're old and have just a few years left, we can get married then. We can live out our last days blissfully happy with each other finally," he said, kissing her on top of her head. He could feel her tears soaking into his shirt as she cried.

"You're such a romantic fool, Ichigo Kurosaki," she sniffed, smiling through her tears. "It's one of your most endearing traits. You're a fierce lover, emotionally and physically. I love you, too. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, I know. But I also know you don't love me enough – not enough to truly be mine," he clarified, hugging her close. "Quit crying, honey. This isn't a good-bye. We can never say good-bye. We're only redefining our relationship."

"You do have a way with words, my dear," she commented, turning her lips up to his. Her pulse quickened as his fingertips rested on her jaw, tilting up her head so he could kiss her. Her lips lingered on his, both of them enjoying the softness of the kiss and relishing the intimate contact.

"Minny," he murmured, kissing the tip of her nose. "Can I make love to you one last time?"

"Yes, I would like that very much," she answered breathlessly. She whimpered when his lips returned to hers for another gentle, bittersweet kiss. Her skin prickled with arousal as his fingers skimmed her neck and chest going to the buttons of her shirt. She tenderly touched his face, watching his ardent brown eyes as he slowly undressed her. She unbuttoned his shirt as his fingers and hands lazily stroked her face and chest. By the time they were finally undressed, both of them were breathing hard and starting to sweat from arousal alone. They had explored each other's bodies as if trying to memorize each contour and curve as well as the texture and warmth of each other's skin.

"I will remember what we've shared," Minny whispered in his ear as he laid her back on the couch.

"Memories of you will be what gets me through lonely nights," Ichigo said, staring into her eyes as he lowered himself into her. He took her hands in his, holding them down on the couch by her head. Their eyes remained locked on each other's the whole time he made love to her. Their lovemaking was unhurried yet profound, neither one of them ready for it to end. Their movements were deliberate and measured, luxuriating in every sensation that went through their bodies.

Sweat started to form on Ichigo's forehead running down his face as he struggled to hold back and make it last. A few of the wet droplets formed too close to his nose to be sweat. Minny had tears running from her eyes as well, but they made the short distance from her outer eye to disappear into her hair without being detected. The emotional impact of this moment was more than they had expected or been prepared for.

"Honey, I've gone as far as I can go," he whispered, pressing kisses to her cheeks and chin then her lips. He bit his lip to control himself, to hold back just a little longer.

"Ichigo, yes. Yes!" she cried out, raising her hips into him to push him over the precipice into a mind-blowing climax. She squirmed under him, calling out his name as he gave her a pleasurable but painful orgasm – pleasurable because it felt so good and painful because of the intense emotions. She kissed him, sighing with bliss and sadness as he laid his head on her chest. They lay quietly in each other's arms, neither one wanted to move or to say anything. Their world was perfect at this moment, and they wanted to enjoy it. Soon enough it would all be changing.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Minny had great timing on Monday when she walked into the personnel department. She on her way to Toshiro's desk when she saw the dark headed man she would have been asking for help to find. She smiled at him when he looked at her and moved toward her with his arms open for an embrace.

"Hi, Hana!" she squealed with delight, squeezing him tightly. "Just the man I wanted to see."

"Oh, yeah, why is that?" he asked, stepping back from her to look her over with his dark blue eyes. "You are absolutely stunning. I've always had a crush on you."

"You really shouldn't talk to your boss that way," she said, her eyes twinkling happily.

"What? You wanted to offer me a job?" he asked, his eyes growing as big as dinner plates.

"Yes, I did. Rangiku will be leaving in six months which is about the time you'll finish college and graduate, right?" she asked, ignoring Toshiro's burning glare. For him to refuse staking any permanent claims on her, he sure was the jealous type.

"Yes, you're right. That's perfect. There's no place I'd rather be than working under you," he said with a suggestive lilt to his voice.

"Yes, well, isn't that wonderful? Watch your mouth, boy. That woman is going to be your boss soon," Toshiro warned him, slapping him across the back of the head. He turned a disapproving eye to Minny and her bright pink face, shaking his head.

"Hey, Toshi, why don't you come over to my house? You can help me unpack some of the boxes," she said as if that was supposed to soothe his feelings.

"Will you cook dinner for me?" he asked, raising a white eyebrow.

"Of course," she replied. She wasn't beyond bribery because she hated unpacking.

"Just tell me when," he responded, glowering at her as she walked away with her arm linked through Hana's.

"Tomorrow night," she called back over her shoulder to him.

Tomorrow night, huh? He wondered what- or who- she would be busy with tonight. He ventured to guess it would be the late bloomer walking away with her.

* * *

><p>"Who's the kid I saw you with?" Kensei asked when he burst into her office.<p>

"Hello, Kensei. My day is going fine, thank you," she said, completely ignoring his question.

"Minny, dammit," he grumbled.

"Kensei, dammit," she retorted like the true smart ass she is.

"Oh, come on, sweetheart, give me a break," he whined, sitting on the edge of her desk as she finished signing several papers.

"My darling, don't be jealous," she said, standing up to kiss him briefly on the lips. "He's going to be my new assistant when Rangiku leaves. He worked here in personnel so I know he's a good employee."

"Forgive me if I feel a little overprotective."

"Overprotective? Okay, we'll go with that."

"Sorry, I can't help it. It's your fault for making me fall in love with you," he said, hugging her to him.

Minny smiled at him, kissing him again. It was kind of nice to have given up and just admitted their feelings for each other.

"I'll be moved in by Thursday. Why don't come over and celebrate with me?" he asked, kissing her neck.

"How could I possibly refuse?"

* * *

><p>"Minny," Hana gasped when she opened the door. His eyes quickly scanned her from head to toe. She was lovely in her dark purple dress with its conservative neckline and knee length skirt.<p>

"Hi, Hana," she greeted him warmly, giving him a hug.

"Shall we go?" he asked, putting his hand on her lower back and feeling nothing but skin. He allowed her to walk ahead of him, stumbling a few steps when he saw the back of her dress was completely open and plunged so far down he could almost see the beginning of her butt crack. "Oh, damn."

"Did you say something?" Minny asked, turning around to face him. She cried out in surprise when he bumped into her, catching her in his arms so she would not fall.

"I'm sorry," he apologized as both of them blushed hotly. He was still holding her in his arms and seemed unwilling to let her go.

"Um, Hanna?" she called, placing her hands on his shoulders to push him back a little. She couldn't help but notice how broad they had become, and she could feel the taut muscles through his shirt. Oh, boy.

"Oh, right, right. I'm sorry," he apologized again, obviously flustered. He released her from his arms, staring down at the sidewalk.

Minny smiled when she was suddenly reminded of the timid, unsure boy she had first met. She straightened her dress self-consciously then put her arm through his so he could lead her the rest of the way to his car. It was also a good excuse to lean against him and feel the muscles of his arm through his long sleeved dress shirt. "So, tell me what degree you will be getting when you graduate," she urged him in an attempt to put him (and herself) at ease.

"I will be getting a Bachelor's in Human Resource Management," he answered, opening the car door for her. That did not come as a surprise to her.

Despite the awkward beginning, they had a wonderful night together. They were both amused by the questioning stares they elicited everywhere they went. Some of the looks they received were appreciative or even envious because people made certain assumptions about their relationship. These are the people that made them giggle.

"You know what a lot of these people were thinking about us don't you?" he asked her when they were in his car on the way back to her house.

"Yes. I know exactly what they were thinking. Are you embarrassed?" she inquired, looking at him to see a big smile on his face.

"Hell, no. If anything, I'm proud. You're freakin' hot," he said, immediately blushing at the words that thoughtlessly fell out of his mouth.

"Thank you, Hana," she laughed. "Just keep in mind, I will be your boss in six months. I'm also in a relationship with someone."

"Well, damn," he muttered with disappointment, making her laugh harder. When they reached her house, he walked her to the door.

"Thank you for a wonderful evening. I enjoyed your company," she said, leaning forward to kiss him on the cheek. The little sneak turned his face at the last second to press his lips to hers. The kiss was brief and innocent yet very exciting. "I can't." He stopped any further protest from her by placing his lips back on hers. This kiss was more insistent and passionate, leaving her breathless and weak.

"Can I come in?" he asked, pulling her body close to his.

"No, you can't. It would only spell disaster for the both of us. Then you wouldn't have a job waiting on you when you graduate," she said, pushing him away carefully. She bit her lower lip as she felt his pectoral muscles ripple beneath her hands. Dammit. Why did this kid have to grow up to be so damn sexy?

"You're right. I'm sorry," he apologized calmly and sincerely. "Good night, Minny."

"Good night, Hana," she replied, giving him a small wave. When he was in his car, she coolly opened her door to enter the house in case he was watching her. After relocking the door, she dropped everything and bolted upstairs toward her bathroom. She undressed on the way so she could get under a freezing cold blast of water as soon as possible to bring the raging inferno in her body under control. Her phone rang as she was getting out of the shower, and she literally tripped over herself to answer it. Without bothering to get up from the floor, she crawled the short distance to her bedside table to answer it.

"Are you okay?" Kensei asked. "You sound a little excited about something."

Oh, if he only knew! "No, I was just getting out of the shower and I tripped coming to answer the phone. I was hoping it was you," she said quite truthfully.

"You could have just called me back you know."

No, actually, the thought had not occurred to her. She was still having issues with thinking clearly.

"Do you want to come over?"

"I'll be there in five minutes. I was already on my way."

Minny dropped the phone. If she had let Hana in…oh dear god.

* * *

><p>"How was your date with, Hana?" Toshiro asked, pulling her down into his lap. They had just finished eating and decided to relax on the couch for a bit.<p>

"Jealous much," she teased, running her finger along the edge of his jaw. She rubbed her nose across his, allowing her lips to brush his with the faintest touch. "You know, you'll always be my favorite. I loved you first."

"Damn tease," he growled, digging into her ribs with his fingers to tickle her. She howled with laughter while she wiggled around on his lap. Very soon the squirming became a little much for him so he stopped. "Where did you want to start unpacking?" he asked, tickling her nose with one of her own curls.

"You sure are playful tonight. How about right here in this room?" she suggested, looking at the boxes stacked around them.

"I thought I should make the best of our night together because it might be the last one we have," he said, putting his hands against her butt to shove her to a standing position.

"What do you mean?" she inquired sadly, staring at him.

"Like General Nuisance will allow us to continue this kind of relationship," he snapped, ripping open a box. He busied himself with unloading the books onto the bookshelf to ignore her teary eyes.

"But Toshi," she murmured, walking over to him. She wrapped her hands around his waist and laid her head on his back between his shoulder blades. "You were the first friend I made at Shinigami Corporation. We've been close since the beginning. You have to be a part of my life."

Toshiro sighed deeply, hanging his head. "I'll still be your friend, you idiot," he groused, turning to face her. "We just won't have any more moments like this."

"Oh, you're right," she admitted, closing her eyes as he held her in his arms. She wouldn't take it too kindly either if Kensei had a woman friend with whom he flirted, kissed, and had intimate dinners for two. "Have we been dating this whole time and not known it?"

They both laughed hard about that. Toshiro kissed her on the forehead, and let her go. "Come on. You've got a ton of boxes to unpack."

Well…had they?


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The cork was popped on the champagne and the celebration began. The Department of Military Funerals was officially operational as of today. However, absolutely no work would be done until tomorrow. Now was the time to celebrate. There were lots of unfamiliar faces from new hires, and there were many familiar faces that had transferred from other departments.

"I just wanted to thank everyone who made the inception of this department possible. I especially want to thank Ms. Minny Caesara because she had the hardest job of all – putting up with me," Kensei said, raising his glass to her.

Minny smiled at him and could not keep the pink color from rising to her cheeks. She finished off her glass for the toast and was moving to the table to get more when she bumped into Ichigo. They had successfully avoided each other until today.

"Hi, honey," he said, smiling broadly at her.

"Hi there, stranger," she returned smiling back.

"Congratulations on another triumph. You've done quite well for yourself," he stated with an undefinable edge to his voice. It sounded both happy and sad, sincere and sarcastic at the same time.

"Thank you," she responded quietly. She wasn't sure if he was congratulating her on setting up the department or her relationship with Kensei.

"I miss you, Minny," he murmured so low only she could hear it.

Dear god, please don't do this to me, she begged silently. The least he could have done was trap her in a closet or somewhere private before making such an agonizing statement. She wanted to grab him and kiss his pain away, but she couldn't.

"Hi, sweetheart. You are amazing," Kensei said, kissing her on the cheek. "Hello, Mr. Kurosaki."

"Congratulations, General," Ichigo said pleasantly, shaking the man's hand. She was so proud of him in that moment. His eyes turned to her and he added, "On everything."

Dammit, Ichigo!

"Thanks," Kensei replied, putting his arm around Minny's waist possessively and leading her away. It had been impossible to miss the harsh tone of his reply. The underlying meaning of the look that had passed between her and the orange haired man had not been lost on him.

"My house or yours tonight?" he inquired to totally bypass the incident.

"Yours. You are supposed to cook dinner for me remember?"

"That's right. What would you like?"

"Surprise me." 

* * *

><p>For once, Minny was able to get the drop on her sneak attack boyfriend. She quietly pushed open the front door that he had left unlocked for her. Since he was busy in the kitchen, he did not hear her coming up behind him. She gazed appreciatively at his behind while he was bent over digging in a bottom cabinet. She stood completely still and quiet with her arms crossed over her chest, waiting for him to turn around. When he did, he unleashed the most alarming sound she had ever heard in her life. Now she had heard men scream like women before, but hearing that sound come out of his mouth was just plain disturbing and comedic at the same time. She began laughing so hard that she couldn't stop. The more he glared, the more she laughed. Tears of unadulterated hilarity were running down her cheeks as she found herself sitting on the split brick floor of the kitchen holding her aching stomach.<p>

"Are ya done yet, Chuckles?" he snorted, kicking her lightly in the butt when he walked past her to get to the stove.

"Almost," she replied, still giggling. She was still holding her sore stomach when she struggled to her feet. "Speaking of almost, is dinner almost ready?"

"You're so impatient," he grumbled. He turned with something in his fingers and shoved it in her mouth. "Here. Try that."

"Oh, my god," she gasped as the wonderful flavors flooded her mouth. "Anything else you'd like to shove in my mouth?"

"Yes. But that comes after dinner," he joked, winking at her.

"And so will you right?" she asked, returning a suggestive comment.

"Oh, good one," Kensei complimented. He kissed her on the cheek when she slid her arm around his waist. "Why don't you wait for me in the living room? You look sleepy anyway."

"Someone kept me awake late last night. I'm sure all of that champagne at the party did not help either," she yawned. Someone indeed had kept her awake making love to her until she begged him to stop so she could get some sleep. She lay down on the couch, staring at the ceiling.

'Now what?' she wondered as other questions bombarded her brain. Where would this relationship go? Would it lead to marriage? Did she even want it to come to that possibility? Should she tell him her monumental secret? It was hard for her to even imagine bringing that up. It quite possibly could be the defining factor of whether they even have a relationship at all anymore.

"It's ready!" Kensei yelled from the kitchen. He beckoned her to him when she walked in. He put his big hands around her waist and lifted her to sit her on the counter.

"What are you doing?" Minny asked curiously when he held the food out for her in his fingers.

"I'm going to feed you," he said, prompting her to open her mouth. He lay the bite size morsel on her tongue and watched her chew. "Good girl. How is it?"

"Oh, my god. I think you missed your calling. You should quit Shinigami Corporation and open a restaurant. That's incredible," she moaned, rolling her eyes. It was a good thing he didn't cook for her all the time; she wouldn't be able to fit through the doors. Everything was made into bite sized pieces that could be picked up with the fingers and popped in the mouth. She didn't know what anything was and she didn't really care if all tasted as great what she just had. This was going to be an interesting experience.

Minny could honestly say not only was that the most unique meal she had ever had, but it was also the most erotic: fingers sliding into mouths and licking off stray crumbs. When it was time for dessert, she could barely wait to see what new and intriguing experience awaited there. She watched with curiosity and slight apprehension as he sat whole strawberries, chocolate syrup, and whipped cream on the counter beside her.

"What's for dessert?" she asked, blinking her big brown eyes at him.

"You," he answered plainly. He lifted her up slightly so he could grab her dress and pull it over her head.

"What?" she asked with disbelief.

"You heard me," he replied. He pulled off his shirt, then leaned in to kiss her briefly. "My first thought about you was that you looked good enough to eat. I'm indulging a fantasy here."

"Holy crap," she mumbled, watching him dip a strawberry in the chocolate syrup. Her body was virtually vibrating with anticipation; whether it was from excitement or nervousness she wasn't sure – probably both. She opened her mouth when he held the strawberry over her lips. The syrup dripped onto her lips and dribbled down her chin and neck a little. Her tongue slid out to lick the strawberry as he observed her with open lust and a lascivious grin on his face. Everybody has their own definition of fun and teasing her was his right now.

Kensei pulled the strawberry away, smiling wide enough to show his teeth when she gave him a pouty look of disappointment. He leaned forward to lick the chocolate off her neck and then her chin.

"Do you want it?" he asked, holding the fruit above her lips again.

"Yes, please give it to me," she begged in a breathy voice. Might as well play along and make it more fun. She opened her mouth again, moaning when he slowly lowered the strawberry into her mouth.

"Damn," he hissed, biting his lower lip.

"Your turn. Come here," she ordered, pulling him forward with her leg hooked around his waist. She trapped him between her legs, wrapping them around his waist. She dipped her finger into the jar of chocolate, then placed it against his neck.

"Ewww! It's sticky!" he cried out, shying away from her.

"Oh, shut up you big baby. This was your idea. Besides, we can take a shower together after this," she said, giving him a chocolate strawberry flavored kiss. After making several lines extending down his neck from his lips, she began to lick it off using long, slow strokes of her tongue.

"Oh, my god," he groaned, holding onto her waist. When she was done licking the chocolate from him, he grabbed the can of whipped cream.

Minny squealed like a school girl when he sprayed it on her nipples, making him break into laughter. Fun was an understatement to describe what they were having. She leaned back on her hands as he lowered his head to taste her in the most literal sense. Her fingers twisted into his hair when his warm tongue touched her skin beneath the cold whipped cream. The cream was beginning to melt and run down her belly because her skin was heating up so rapidly. This created a delicious predicament for them both, making him extend his licking down her abdomen and bringing him closer to the REALLY hot part of her body.

"Kensei, you are a bad, bad boy, but in a very good way," she purred, pulling his lips to hers for a kiss. When he stood back up she grabbed the can of whipped cream.

"What are ya gonna do with that?" he asked as she aimed it at his face.

Minny smiled mischievously then abruptly turned the can to spray a huge mound of cream into her into her hand, smacking him in the face with it. She laughed at him as he stood there with his face covered with whipped cream not moving. Her laughing quickly stopped when he snatched the can away and sprayed her in the face with it. She grabbed him, pulling his lips against hers. They giggled through the sticky sweet kiss, intermittently kissing and licking until the white goo was gone.

Kensei pushed her back onto the counter, lifting her hips to pull off her underwear. He kissed her lips, then began a gradual downward trek with the kisses.

"What are you going to do?" she inquired curiously when he didn't stand back up.

"I'm supposed to be eating my dessert right?" he queried with a devilish grin as he knelt between her legs.

"You're not…OH YES YOU ARE!" she shrieked, grabbing his head when she felt his lips and tongue on the most intimate part of her body. She whimpered and moaned, crying out his name as he licked and sucked her into a mind-blowing orgasm.

"Come on, sweetheart. Time to get a little dirtier before we get cleaned up," he said, removing his clothes from the waist down finally. He pulled her off the counter, standing her on a step stool to compensate for their height difference. He had really thought this thing through and planned for everything. He kissed her before turning her around to face the counter.

Minny leaned forward, pressing her palms flat on the smooth granite surface when she felt him easing into her from behind. This man was incredible. She felt his hand on her shoulder, pulling down on her a little until he fully entered her. She pushed her body against his, feeling his warm, brawny chest and abdomen pressed along the full length of her back.

"Are you ready?" Kensei asked, kissing her neck. "I'm going to make this fast and hard because I'm so damn hot."

"Then do it," she responded, moving her hips which made him groan. She cried out when he shoved into her hard enough to lift her off the stool she was standing on.

Kensei wrapped one arm around her waist, holding her tightly to him to keep her still. The other hand reached up to twist into her hair, pulling her head back. He began thrusting with relentless abandon drawing moan after moan of pleasure from her lips. He kissed her neck while he continued to shove into her.

"Oh, Kensei, you're wonderful! You feel so good!" she cried out.

"Damn," he gasped, shoving her forward so that she had to brace herself with her hands. His hands held her hips as he thrust into her fast and hard like he had warned her.

Minny held on for the ride, pushing back on her hands to lean into him. She could feel his body shaking from the coming orgasm, and it was going to be a big one. A self-satisfied grin spread across her face when a deep yell tore from his throat when he climaxed. At least he kept the scream manly this time so it wouldn't kill the moment.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"There's my, Queen," Byakuya said, when Minny walked into his office. He surprised her by using the office nickname for her. "What's wrong? You look upset."

"I'm not upset. Just tired I guess. Maybe a little confused. I may be confused because I am tired. Hell, I don't know," she muttered, pressing her hands against her belly. Yes, she was upset – very upset. She had been carrying around a secret for two months, and it was really getting stressful. She had to talk to someone.

"Now you're confusing me. Come here," he ordered. He sat her down on his desk in front him so he could talk to her.

Minny felt like she did as a little girl when her father would call her into his study to spend time with her. She smiled with the memory of her father lifting her up to sit her on his massive oak desk, then pulling his glasses to the end of his nose to stare at her over the gold frames. She shivered because Sosuke had looked just like their father, but that was as far as the similarities went. Her father had been kind and caring, always gentle, and did his best to make her laugh. She had been his little Princess, and he had been her King; he had been everything to her, and she had loved him dearly. Her eyes rose to the dark gray ones studying her now, and she reached out to touch his cheek. She had a new King who loved her just and much and treated her with the same kindness and affection.

"Are you going to tell me, or am I going to have to drag it out of you? I can, you know," he threatened good naturedly with a grin on his face.

"Honestly, I'm not even sure myself," she lied, staring at her feet as she kicked them back and forth. She couldn't tell him. She knew she should tell Kensei first.

"Just calm down. Stop thinking so much. For once in your life, just let things happen. Don't _make_ them happen," Byakuya told her, patting her on the cheek just like a father.

"Thank you for listening. And for the advice," she said, hugging him before she left his office.

Minny returned to her office, ignoring the questioning and concerned stare of Rangiku. She closed her door and locked it, allowing herself a good cry. She felt a little better afterwards; crying always helped to relieve her stress. Her preferred way to relieve stress and emotional pain was through sex which is the reason she was sitting here crying now. The doctors had told her she could never get pregnant because there was too much scar tissue, and she had believed them. Doctors can be wrong, and she just proved them wrong. She had not thought much about it last month when she missed her period because that was nothing unusual for her. Then it happened again this month and that was unusual. So one trip the drug store and one positive pregnancy test later, here she sat, petrified and teary eyed. She didn't even have the nerve to tell Kensei yet. Kensei – that name made a thousand butterflies take flight in her stomach and made her heart skip a beat. Nausea suddenly flowed over her like a wave, and she wondered if she should start making her way to the restroom now. The feeling of getting sick hit her again so she stood up to make her way to the door. Second occurrences always yielded positive results. That was funny in an absurd way. She opened her door, crying out in surprise when she came face to face with Kensei. The man had impeccable timing.

"Sweetheart, are you okay?" he inquired, coming into her office when she stepped back.

"Yeah. I was just going to the ladies' room though. Did you need me to do something for you?" she asked. She took the papers he held out to her and went back to her desk.

"M-Minny?" he stuttered nervously, watching her sit down and turn to her computer.

What the hell is wrong with him? He didn't get nervous. She hadn't given him a reason to be nervous yet. "What, dear?" she asked, typing up the orders on her computer.

"Can you at least look at me?" he requested.

Minny was beginning to get aggravated. She wasn't in the mood for this. She felt really nauseated and refused to think about why. She turned in her chair to look at him. "What is it, Kensei?" she queried trying to keep her voice calm. Her eyes blinked rapidly as he stood up and walked around the desk to her. "Oh, no," she gasped when he bent down on one knee. It was a good thing she was sitting down because she would be on the floor right now from the dizziness that was making her head spin. Her hands pressed in on her stomach willing her body to hold in the sick feeling and everything that came with it.

"Minny…" He pulled the black velvet ring box out of his pocket.

Oh, god. He popped open the lid to reveal a silver ring with a teardrop shaped diamond flanked by smaller heart shaped diamonds. Ooooh, pretty but damn! She literally gritted her teeth for what was coming next.

"Minny, sweetheart, will you marry me?" he asked, holding it out to her.

"Um, Kensei, I-uh, I, I've got to go!" she exclaimed, holding her hand over her mouth. Her body was not going to obey her in holding it in as the queasiness overwhelmed her.

"Oh, not again," Rangiku muttered, going after her.

"Is she all right?" Kensei asked her assistant as he walked beside her.

"She'll be okay. I've seen her like this once before. What did you do?" she asked him in an accusatory tone.

"Me? I didn't do anything. I asked her to marry me. But isn't that supposed to be a good thing?"

"Are you serious?"

"Well, yeah, I always thought marriage was a good thing."

"No, no, no!" Rangiku exclaimed, waving her hands in front of her. "About marrying her? You know what happened before right? With her first husband?"

"Yes, she told me," he answered, stopping as the woman pushed open the door to the ladies' room. They both winced when they heard Minny retching in the background.

"Do you think you know enough about her to know what you're getting into?"

"I believe I do." He was sure he had to know more than this woman.

"The best thing I can tell you to do is be patient with her. I do know she loves you," she assured him, disappearing into the restroom. "Minny?"

"Rangiku, I'm over here," she weakly called from the last stall.

"Oh, Minny, what have you gotten yourself into now?" She walked to the sink to wet down paper towels for her boss who was pale and still green around the gills. She pressed the cold, wet mass to the back of her hot neck as the woman vomited again.

"I'm in trouble, Rangiku," she moaned weakly, tears sliding down her cheeks.

"Oh, for god's sake, it's a wedding proposal. Don't be so dramatic," her assistant admonished her, holding her hair as she threw up again. "Are you ever going to stop doing that?"

"No, seriously, I'm in trouble. The kind that results in a b-a-b-y," Minny spelled out. If she hadn't felt so nauseated she would have laughed at Rangiku silently mouthing the letters as she tried to figure it out.

"YOU'RE PREGNANT!" the woman screamed.

"God," she groaned, hanging her head over the toilet. Hearing it out loud made her feel sick all over again.

"You're WHAT?" Kensei bellowed, crashing right into the women's restroom.

"Oh, damn. This day just keeps getting better and better," Minny muttered under her breath. She unsteadily stood to her feet, going to the sink to splash water on her face and to rinse her mouth out.

"Were you not going to tell me? What were you going to do?" he asked her quietly, staring at her.

"I just found out a few days ago. I took one of those home tests," she explained, walking out of the restroom so he would get out of there. "I'm scared, okay? I didn't know what to do so I didn't do anything."

"Well, didn't you think I deserve to know," he said, reaching out to bring her into him.

"It's not that, Kensei," she sobbed, burying her face in his chest. "I wasn't even supposed to be able to get pregnant! What if I lose the baby? I'm scared."

"Life is full of uncertainties especially when it comes to things like marriage and family. We're never assured of anything. Wouldn't you even consider taking a chance on me? Obviously, I've already made my decision about you," he said, pulling the ring out of his pocket. "I know it's not the most romantic proposal, but hell we can have all the romance we can stand later. So, what about it, Minny? Do you love me? Will you marry me?"

Minny stared at him, looking into his dark brown eyes. She touched his face as she nodded enthusiastically because she was unable to speak. His tender smile melted her heart as he took her left hand from his cheek and brought it to his lips to kiss the back of it. She held out her hand to him, willing it not to shake as he slipped the ring on her finger. She closed her eyes as he bent to kiss her. They were both shocked to hear a loud wail coming from down the hall a short distance from them. Turning their faces to look at the source of the noise, they saw Rangiku standing there, sobbing her heart out with tears streamed down her face.

"Oh, my god! That was the sweetest thing I've ever seen! Not romantic my ass," she bawled, her shoulders shaking as she covered her face. "I can't wait to tell everyone!"

"Wait!" Minny yelled, running to her. "Can we kind of keep this quiet for now? We can have a big party at my house. You can help me plan it. I need all the help I can get."

"Yay! A party!" she yelled, bounding back to the office happily.

"Is she all right? You know, she's not…" he stated questioningly, making the universal sign for crazy by rotating his wrist with his finger by his head.

"Crazy? No, of course not. Sometimes she has the tendency to be …excessively happy. You get used to it," she sighed. "I'm going to miss her."

"Me too. Are you still going to have that kid as your assistant?" he inquired, a sharp edge to his voice.

"Yes, get over it. Quit letting a twenty something year old _kid_ intimidate you," she teased, turning toward him again. "I love you."

"Do you realize that's the first time you've ever told me that?" he asked, taking her into his arms.

"No it isn't. It can't be," she remarked, trying to think back. Maybe it is. He always said it first to be met with a ridiculous response such as 'me too' or 'you know I feel the same way' but never those three simple words. He was right. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For not ever just saying it. For not just telling you how I feel."

"We'll work on that."

Minny hugged him tightly, closing her eyes as if it would stop the thoughts assaulting her mind. Her main thoughts were of two other men who she needed to talk to and fast before either one of her big revelations got to the office gossip mill. She was sure they would prefer hearing it from her. Her interactions with Ichigo had been reduced to stiff pleasantries exchanged in the hallways; however, it was always accompanied by meaningful, longing looks from him that stabbed her in the heart. She occasionally had lunch with Toshiro, but he never came to her house since the General lived across the street. She had suggested coming to his house, but he told her that it wasn't a good idea, and he was right of course.

"What's wrong?" Kensei asked and she realized she was crying.

"Nothing. Nothing at all." Damn liar. 

* * *

><p>Author's Note: All right, my girls! (and you know you are) I need an honest opinion. Tell me I haven't written myself into a corner here. I'm really not sure about this direction right now, but I'm stumped as to where else to go. I know from personal experience that marriage and pregnancy are great sources of drama. So let me know what you think.<p> 


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Minny stared at her phone and took a deep breath wishing she could inhale some courage. She finally pressed the buttons that would dial Ichigo's phone. She held her breath as she waited for him to answer.

"Minny, why are you calling me?" he asked, in a slightly perturbed voice.

"There's something I need to talk to you about. I want you to hear it from me. Can I come over?" she inquired nervously. Her heart beat faster as the seconds seemed like minutes while she waited for his answer.

"No, you can't," he responded flatly.

Why did that hurt so badly? It felt as if a grenade had went off in her chest. What the hell had she expected from him? If she went to his apartment, what did she think would happen? She looked down at the ring on her finger. "I'm getting married," she stated bluntly.

"Congratulations," he replied coldly.

"And I'm pregnant," she said, pulling her phone away when she heard a loud bang and series of random clicks. Did he drop the phone or hang up on her?

"You're what?" he inquired, the pitch of his voice was way too high.

"I'm going to have his baby," she told him as if he didn't know what the word pregnant meant.

"Why did you think I needed to know this straight from you?"

"I don't know really. I'm sorry I called. I thought – to be honest I don't know what the hell I thought. I'm sorry I bothered you."

"Minny?"

"What?"

"I just want you to be happy. I don't want to see you get your heart broken again," he said, his voice was gentler when he spoke this time.

"I know."

One down. One to go.

* * *

><p>"You're what?" Toshiro snarled through his teeth. He would have preferred to scream it in her face but they were sitting in the middle of a crowded restaurant at lunch. "You did this on purpose didn't you?" He was referring to the fact that she deliberately chose to tell him the shocking news in a setting where he couldn't freak out no matter how much wanted to.<p>

"You are absolutely right. Now, you'll have to sit still and have a logical conversation," she snapped, returning the death glare he was giving her.

"Logical? Were you being logical when you decided to marry him? And getting pregnant? What the hell are you thinking?" he demanded. His big teal eyes looked as if they were about to pop out of his skull.

"Okay first of all, since when did logic have ANYTHING to do with relationships? The pregnancy? No one, not even you, could be more surprised about that than me, I assure you," she said, closing her eyes. She released a big sigh, leaning forward with her elbows on the table. She held her head in her hands as a headache began to creep into her temples.

"Are you sure you want to marry him?" he asked curtly, with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Yes, Toshiro Hitsugaya, I do. How long have I known you?"

"Over two years."

"How many opportunities have you had in the time to ask me to marry you? Or make some kind of commitment? If you wanted me, you should have said so."

"Uh…" He was completely dumbfounded. She had forced him to confront a question he had avoided a thousand times in the last few months. He glowered at the woman sitting in front of him, resisting the urge to throttle her right here in front of God and everyone.

* * *

><p>"Are you ready to see your baby?" the doctor asked cheerily.<p>

Dr. Unohana was pleasant and friendly. She had the most beautiful dark blue eyes and her black hair was pulled back neatly in a braid that extended down her back to her waist. So far she was the only one who expressed any genuine happiness that Minny was pregnant. She squeezed the warm gel onto Minny's still flat belly and began to move the transducer of the ultrasound machine over her skin.

Minny and Kensei both watched with rapt attention as a small but obviously human form appeared on the screen. They heard the sound of a heartbeat that filled the room after the doctor flipped a switch. It corresponded to the flutter on the screen where the baby's heart would be.

"There, my dear, is your three month old baby," Dr. Unohana said proudly.

"Oh, my god," Minny gasped, feeling tears run down her cheeks. It was real. She was really going to be a mother.

"Oh, sweetheart," Kensei whispered in her ear, kissing her cheek. He squeezed her hand as she lay mesmerized by the image on the screen.

"What are my chances of a miscarriage, Dr. Unohana?" she asked never taking her eyes off the screen.

"I'd say slim to none at this point. You're already through the most dangerous period. Don't worry. You'll be fine," she assured her, patting her on the hand.

Minny began piecing together a timeline in her head. She and Kensei had officially been together for five months so she got pregnant two months after their relationship became exclusive. She released a big sigh of relief. A smile pulled at her lips as she imagined a precious little baby boy with big brown eyes and light brown hair. She glanced at the expectant father who was still looking at the image of his future child on the screen. "Have you thought of any names?" Dr. Unohana inquired as she wiped the sticky gel from Minny's abdomen.

"How soon can we tell what the baby is?" Kensei asked. The fact that he asked the question momentarily stunned the doctor.

"In about two more months I'll do an ultrasound, and we should be able to tell then," she answered.

Minny looked at him grinning from ear to ear. In that moment, she loved him so much she literally felt warm all over. Or did pregnant women have hot flashes?

* * *

><p>Minny sat on her couch with a notepad, furiously scribbling notes while her fiancée was in the kitchen cooking dinner. How she loved her domesticated man. She had so much to do and very little time to do it in. She wanted to have the wedding before she began to show, and this time she wanted to have her friends there. Sadness momentarily settled over her when she realized that her mom and dad could not be there; they had died many years ago in an accident. She brightened with the thought that Byakuya could walk her down the aisle. She believed he would be more than happy to give her away sometimes. Hana would be arriving in a little over a month to be her new personal assistant. She allowed him to wait until the beginning of the next year to come into the position because he wanted to be with his family for the holidays and to celebrate his graduation. Oh, the holidays! Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years'… then there was Gin and Rangiku's wedding. She let out a plaintive moan that bordered on a howl, falling over on the couch.<p>

"Tire yourself out thinking again?" Kensei joked, sitting down beside her. He pulled her head into his lap and stroked her hair.

"Mmmmm, I like it when you pet me," Minny said, snuggling into his lap.

"Careful there, Missy. There's two ways I could take that, and you're in a dangerous area to be wiggling around too much," he warned her.

"Well, we've already had an interesting dessert. This time we could make it an appetizer," she murmured, sitting up to press her lips to his.

"Oh, Minny Muguruma, you're a bad, bad girl," he teased kissing her again, grunting when she abruptly pulled her lips away.

"I like the sound of that! Say it again," she requested.

"You're a bad, bad girl," he purred, leaning toward her to kiss her again.

"No, my name! My _new _name."

"Minny Muguruma," he repeated, hugging her tightly.

"So which house are we going to live in?" she inquired, abruptly changing subjects. She sometimes had the attention span of a gnat.

"Well, yours of course. I wouldn't deny you the home you love and the thing that brought us together. Remember what we did when you found out it was yours?" he asked with a lascivious grin on his face.

"Yes, I do," she replied, sliding her arms around his neck. "Can Hana rent your house?"

"God, Minny! That was a mood killer!" he fussed, shoving her away and jumping up from the couch.

"Oh, no you don't!" she exclaimed, grabbing his belt loop and jerking him back down on the couch. She straddled his lap, pressing her mouth to his. Her hands slid under his shirt, gliding upward. She pinched his nipples hard enough to make him yell.

"OW! You mean ass," he growled, seizing her by the waist and laying her on the couch. He reached under her skirt and pulled off her underwear in a split second.

"Yay! And what will you do for your next trick, Houdini, now that you've made my underwear disappear?"

"I'll make you scream."

"Ooooh, good one!" Minny was moaning within seconds when he pushed himself into her. She closed her eyes to concentrate on every movement he made and every sensation flowing through her body. This was totally his show and he had promised to make her scream. She intended to hold him to his word as she raised her hips into him, dragging a groan from his lips and prompting him to thrust into her faster. Pleasure surged through her body, electrifying every nerve ending. He knew just what to do to make her feel incredible bliss. Her body shivered as a literal spine tingling feeling raced up her back. This orgasm didn't slowly build, it abruptly exploded like a bomb taking her by surprise and she screamed his name while she clawed his back without mercy. Her shriek and the immediate application of intense pain pushed him into a mind numbing climax.

"That was – different," he commented, laying his head on her abdomen to recover.

"Yes, yes it was," she agreed, brushing her fingertips over his face.

"Masashi," Kensei blurted suddenly. "We'll name the baby Masashi Kensei if it's a boy. What do you think?"

"I think it's perfect," she answered, running her fingers through his hair. She smiled as his fingers stroked her belly so softly it almost tickled. Tears silently ran down her face in contradiction to the smile that curled her lips when he began talking to the baby. She thought she felt a small flutter of movement deep within her, but she knew it had to be her imagination. It seemed that having a wonderful marriage and family was a possibilty for her after all.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"Byakuya, would you come to my house for Thanksgiving dinner?" Minny asked, in between going over upcoming contract deals.

"Well, I usually go to Rukia's," he answered, handing her the folder for the next company.

"I already invited her. She and the Red Pineapple will be there. Please, come," she begged, using her big brown puppy dog eyes on him. She had learned how to do that from Ichigo.

"How could I say no to that?" he sighed, walking around the desk to kiss her on the forehead. He placed his hand on her belly, looking into her eyes. "Was this what you wanted to talk to me about when you came into my office so upset?" After she nodded, he continued, "You can always tell me anything, Minny. I'll do anything I can to help you… always. You're like another sister to me."

"In that case, there is something I need to ask you," she said, looking into his dark gray eyes. "Will you walk me down the aisle at my wedding?"

"I'd be honored to," he answered, hugging her briefly. "Now, back to business."

* * *

><p>"Why did we want to do this again?" Kensei asked. They were in the kitchen busy putting the finishing touches on Thanksgiving dinner.<p>

"Because this is not only a holiday dinner, but it's to celebrate our engagement. Now that I think about it, it's highly appropriate don't you think?" Minny inquired, sliding him a mischievous glance.

"What is?" He was halfway ignoring her as he was busy dishing up the mashed potatoes.

"I'm celebrating with my two favorite turkeys today," she said, staring at him as she was placing the garnishes around the halfway carved golden bird.

"Oh, my god, you're so funny," he snapped mirthlessly, wiping sweat from his forehead.

"Calm down, these people are our friends. Are we ready?" she asked, before taking the tray of turkey to the table.

"Yeah, go ahead and call them in," he responded.

"Come and get it!" Minny bellowed from the kitchen.

"Good god, you can be loud," he muttered.

"As if you didn't already know," she murmured, winking at him. "Besides, I'm practicing my mama voice for when I have the call the children in from the backyard."

"Looks great, sweetie, thanks for inviting us," Gin complimented, brushing a kiss across her cheek as he walked by with Rangiku.

"You're welcome," she replied.

"Yeah, thanks, gorgeous," Renji said, slapping her on the ass as he walked by.

"Idiot!" Rukia exclaimed slapping him across the back of the head. She glanced at her friend with an apologetic look before smacking her flirtatious husband one more time.

Minny covered her mouth with her hand to stifle a laugh. She had grown accustomed to his ridiculous antics long ago. After all, she had been friends with Rukia as long as she had Toshiro. Toshiro had pleasantly surprised her by accepting her invitation to come today. He had brought a cute little girl with him who appeared to be all of sixteen years old but claimed to be twenty one. He introduced her as Momo. She was a cute little thing with long black hair and brown eyes. Renji made the comment of how Toshiro had found a remarkably similar looking replacement for Minny to be rewarded with two kicks, one in each shin, from Rukia and Minny. Ichigo had shown up with the most annoying blond – EVER. Her platinum blond hair color obviously came out of a bottle because her blacker than night roots had been left to grow out for quite a while giving her the appearance of a backwards skunk. She was loud and obnoxious, even lighting up a cigarette in the living after they had first arrived. Thank goodness Kensei fielded that little indiscretion, ushering the woman out onto the back porch before his wife to be could pour a bucket of water over the woman's head. Minny wondered if Ichigo purposely found the woman and hired her for the day just to piss her off. Byakuya had arrived by himself and was now sitting next to Minny. This was turning out to be a typical family dinner with the same irritations and arguments tempered by their loving and caring relationships. However, if that woman lit up another cigarette in the house, she was dead.

* * *

><p>Minny was meeting Rangiku and Rukia at the wedding boutique where they would look at dresses and begin planning two weddings. She had just come from the doctor's office and couldn't wait to tell them her good news – it's a boy! A smile came to her lips when she recalled Kensei's reaction to the announcement. She would have sworn he had just scored the winning touchdown for his football team. She supposed it was just that exciting to him that he was going to have a son. Visions of scraped knees, dirty faces, frogs in pockets, and things like that had danced her head. A mini-Kensei running around on stout little baby legs while his father tosses him a tiny toddler sized football; she could picture it all so clearly.<p>

"It's about time you got here," Rukia playfully admonished her. "So tell us, come on!"

"It's a boy!" Minny exclaimed, hugging them both while squeals and giggles filled the air from all of them.

"Welcome, ladies. I am Mrs. Albion. Would you like something to drink while we view the dresses?" the owner of the shop asked when she appeared in front of them. The woman was tall and thin with her white hair swept back into a tight bun. She was wearing a white skirt suit as well. The only thing that gave her a splash of color was her stunning blue eyes.

Once the women were situated in comfortable chairs with their tea, models began to come out from a back room in wedding dresses.

"Are you going with white?" Rangiku asked Minny.

Minny snorted and choked on her tea. "Uh, no. I'm so beyond the white thing. I was thinking red actually since it will be close to Christmas. I plan on having the wedding in the backyard at the house."

"That'll be lovely. Especially if it snows," Rukia chimed in.

"I hope it does. Dress warmly," she advised them. "Mrs. Albion, do you have anything in red for any outdoor wedding?"

"Red?" the woman in white repeated, wrinkling her long aristocratic nose. "An outdoor wedding, this time of year?"

"You know, yours is not the only wedding boutique in this city," Minny pointed out haughtily after the woman's derisive reaction. She sipped her tea, then gave the condescending woman a fake smile. "Can you help me or not?"

"I'll be right back," Mrs. Albion replied in a much less high-and-mighty tone before she disappeared in the back.

"What a bitch," Rangiku muttered, making her other friends giggle.

"Here you go, ladies. You can try these while you wait," one of the shop assistants said, sliding a platter of petit fours on the table. She began to explain flavors each tiny cake consisted of. "If you don't find one you like there, you can choose your own for your wedding cake."

The women continued to watch the parade of wedding dresses as they tried the cakes. They were having the time of their lives on their girls' day out. They were beginning to think Mrs. Albion had left and wasn't coming back until she came sweeping into the room, dragging a brunette model by the arm.

"Ms. Caesara, how do you like this?" Mrs. Albion asked, shoving the poor, helpless model forward.

Minny stood up, circling the girl as she looked at the dress. It would make her look like Little Red Riding Hood, but she loved it. The dress itself was red, very plain, long sleeved and floor length. The matching hooded red cape that went over it was not so plain. It was trimmed with white fur and trailed across the floor for at least six feet. The material it was made of was velvet with a subtle pattern etched into it. She would be warm for sure.

"I want it. Thank you, Mrs. Albion," she said, sitting back down at the table with her friends. "All right, Rangiku, your turn to pick one."

* * *

><p>"Are you nervous?" Rukia asked as she straightened the train of the cape.<p>

"Very," Minny responded, forcing herself to take a deep breath. Her whole body was shaking as she stood at the back door looking at the friends gathered there waiting for the wedding to begin. A fresh blanket of snow coated the yard. It had only stopped snowing an hour ago.

Rukia and Rangiku were dressed in red as well with white capes over their dresses. They all held bouquets of red and white poinsettias since the wedding was only a week before Christmas.

"You are absolutely stunning," Byakuya whispered in her ear as he put her arm through his. "Stop shaking so much. You're making me nervous."

Minny smiled at him, taking another deep breath. She stared at the man she was about to marry dressed in a white tuxedo standing next to the preacher dressed in black. Shuhei, his best man, said something to him that made him start laughing. She broke into a huge grin when the music began, and he looked like he was about to faint.

"All right, my dear. Let's go," Byakuya said, patting her hand.

Minny felt dizzy and little sick she was so fluttery with anticipation. She kept her eyes on her husband to be, who returned her big smile, as her two friends walked slowly ahead of her down the aisle. She was glad they were there or she would have run up to the altar so was so anxious.

"Who gives this woman to be wed?" the preacher asked formally when they stood in front of him.

"I do," Byakuya proudly answered. He turned to her, placing his fingertips on both of her cheeks as he stared down at her. "I love you, Minny. I wish you all the happiness in the world." He pressed his lips to hers in a brief, chaste kiss, then took her hand to place it in Kensei's. "Take good care of her."

"I will, sir. You never have to worry about that," Kensei assured him, stepping closer to her before they turned to face the preacher.

They purposely kept the ceremony brief so they would not turn their guests in peoplesicles by freezing them to death. After the kiss, everyone gathered in the house to thaw out and enjoy a hot meal prepared by the bride herself. Their guest list had not extended much beyond the people who attended Thanksgiving dinner. They wanted to be with their closest and most special friends on this wonderful day. After dinner came the fun part – the cake.

"Are you ready?" Minny asked with the piece of cake in her hand.

"Are you going to be nice?" Kensei inquired, raising his eyebrow at her.

"Of course," she answered, smiling sweetly.

They opened their mouths, feeding each other the piece of cake. Kensei breathed an audible sigh of relief, but it was too soon. He noticed Minny quickly backed off while the rest of the people in the house moved forward to converge on him.

"Get him!" Shuhei yelled and everyone pulled a can of whipped cream from behind their backs, dousing the poor unsuspecting groom.

"MINNY!" he bellowed when he was covered from head to toe with the fluffy white stuff.

"Uh oh," she murmured, turning to run but it was too late. She screamed when he grabbed her, and they both went down on the kitchen floor. The guests laughed uproariously as they watched the show of the newlywed couple wrestling on the kitchen floor in whipped cream. This beat getting smacked in the face with wedding cake any day in its entertainment value. They didn't know the hidden meaning behind Minny choosing whipped cream to cover her husband, but he sure did.

* * *

><p>After spending a quiet Christmas together, they had another party at their house to celebrate Gin and Rangiku's upcoming wedding as well as the New Year. Minny and Kensei were lying in the hammock together cuddled under a blanket. She had thought the outdoor fireplace was a preposterous yard ornament until tonight. They had built a fire to roast hot dogs and marshmallows, and now it was keeping everyone warm as they enjoyed each other's company. Renji and Ichigo had brought fireworks with them and were getting ready set them off. The two men were almost as entertaining as the fireworks because after they would light them, then run like scared little girls. The small audience indulged their amateur pyrotechnic operators with plenty of 'oohs' and 'aaahs' for their little show.<p>

"Minny, what do you hope for this coming year?" Kensei asked her, rubbing his hand over her small rounded belly.

"I just want a healthy baby. I've already got everything else I could have ever wanted," she said, kissing him on the lips. A firework exploded in the background, and she couldn't help but smile at the timing. She felt the baby kicking and grabbed her husband's hand to press it over the small fluttery motion. "Do you feel him?"

"Yeah. I finally felt it that time. My boy is gonna be a football player," he said proudly, kissing her forehead.

"If he's built like you, he will certainly have the body for it. He'll be a linebacker, not a kicker," she murmured, feeling sleepy.

"Are you happy?" he asked, holding her close.

"Happier than I ever thought I could be. I love you," she said, kissing him on the lips.

"I love you too," he responded.

"Awwwww!" the whole darn group exclaimed when they caught the end of the romantic exchange between the two.

"Oh, my god, you two are so sweet I think might teeth might fall out," Rukia said, finishing off her glass of champagne.

"Kinda makes me want to throw up," complained Renji who promptly received a smack on the back of the head.

"Do you think you should be drinking that?" Ichigo asked when Minny brought a glass of crimson liquid to her lips.

"It's grape juice, Father, calm down," she chided him. She was glad they had finally gotten over the awkwardness of things and had become close friends again.

"Is it midnight yet?" Toshiro asked, kissing his girlfriend Momo anyway.

"Almost. Five minutes," Kensei announced after looking at his watch.

When they were counting down for the midnight kiss, they all became painfully aware that there were two men who didn't have a woman to kiss. Byakuya and Ichigo stood side by side, furtively glancing at everyone else, hoping no one had noticed. Suddenly, Byakuya elbowed Ichigo in the ribs, giving him a sidelong glance.

"Hey, Carrot Top, if you're up for it, I am too," he said, taking the shocked orange haired man into his arms. He dipped him back dramatically like a dancer, winding his arm around Ichigo's neck before he bent to kiss him.

This display was met with wolf whistles, shrieks, and gales of laughter. Everyone thought it was hilarious except for one person whose violet eyes almost popped out of her head before she fainted against her red headed husband who was laughing so hard he almost dropped her. Minny and Kensei were the only ones who could see that Byakuya had his lips pressed against the back of his hand that was firmly planted over the mouth of a laughing Ichigo. Just to add to shock value of the thing, when Byakuya stood Ichigo back up, he wiped off his mouth with the back of his hand. Rukia, who had just come to, went out again, slumping against her hysterical husband.

"You people are insane," Gin remarked, hiding his smile by taking a sip of sake.

"See why I'm going to miss them," Rangiku said, wiping the tears of laughter and a little bit of sadness from her eyes.

Byakuya and Ichigo were the only ones who received a 'kiss' to bring in the New Year at exactly midnight. Everyone else got theirs about fifteen minutes later when they were finally able to stop laughing.

Minny smiled at Ichigo as he walked toward her and her husband in the hammock. Kensei had his hand on her belly again searching for the baby to feel him kicking; he was a man lovingly obsessed with his unborn child.

"Hey, Kensei, do you mind?" Ichigo asked, holding his hand out toward Minny.

"Go ahead. I think the baby is asleep anyway," he said with a hint of disappointment in his voice. Both men helped her to get out of the hammock so she wouldn't fall.

"Thank you for inviting me tonight," Ichigo told her as they walked away. When they were a little further away he took her hand in his to hold it as they walked.

"You're quite welcome. I am so glad we can talk again. I thought I had lost my best friend." She hugged his arm, pressing against him briefly.

"Never – not even to a husband." He abruptly turned very serious, turning her to face him. He took her face in his hands, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. "Happy New Year, honey."

"Happy New Year to you," she murmured, blushing a bright pink color.

"Now, let's get you back to your husband. I'm sure he's missing you and his baby boy."

* * *

><p>Author's Note: I know that was a lot of information crammed into an extra long chapter. I wanted to get through those events without going into a ton of boring details that would slow things down; I just wanted to hit some of the highlights and keep the story progressing. Besides, this means I'm closer to bringing Hana back to the story.<p> 


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Minny was sitting at her desk on a phone call when a knock sounded on her door. She called for the person to come in and her handsome young assistant swept in the door. She quickly ended the call.

"Hana! It's about time. I've needed you," she said, smiling warmly at him when his deep blue eyes lit up. She stood up as he was walking toward her.

"Minny! What the hell is that? Did you swallow a watermelon seed?" he asked, staring in shock at her burgeoning belly.

"Oh, you're too funny," she snapped, accepting his sideways hug while he rubbed her baby bump.

"How far along are you now?" he inquired, pressing on her swollen abdomen like Kensei does when he's trying to get the baby to kick.

"Six months. Quit that!" she chided gently, slapping his hands away. "Come on. We've got a lot of work to do."

At lunch time, Kensei came in, not wasting any time in getting to his wife. He kissed her on the lips, then knelt down in front of her to kiss her belly.

"Kensei, you remember Hana," Minny said, drawing his attention to the fact there was someone else in the room.

"Of course I do," he responded, shaking his hand.

"Nice to see you again, sir," Hana stated politely.

"Son, were you still looking for a place to live?" Kensei asked him, staring at the young man as if he could bore a whole through him with his eyes.

"Y-yes, s-sir," he stammered in response to the harsh scrutiny.

"Well, I've got a house available if you would be interested," he said, putting his hand on his wife's shoulder. Possessive much?

Minny stared down at her paperwork, refusing to let the satisfied grin show on her face. She had argued with him about this for weeks, and he had steadfastly refused – until today. She guessed he had to think it was his idea instead of hers before he would allow it.

"Minny? Is it okay if just the two of us go to lunch to work out a rental agreement?" Kensei asked, looking down at her with a less scary expression on his face.

"Sure. Just bring me something back. I'll keep working. There's plenty to do," she said, accepting a kiss from her husband. She inhaled a shaky breath as her nerves were set on edge when they walked out the door together. She was hoping this wasn't a ruse on Kensei's part to get the young man alone and give him a subtle threat beginning with 'If you have any thoughts of sleeping with my wife, here's what I'll do to you…" Lord have mercy on that kid.

Two long hours later, Minny found out her fears were completely unfounded when they walked back in talking and laughing as if they were best friends. Her husband even clapped him warmly on the back. Okay, this might be more frightening than cold stares and masked threats. She gaped at them both wondering what in the world they had eaten, or drank, at lunch.

"Here, sweetheart, we brought you something," Kensei said, giving her the usual greeting of a kiss for her and kiss for the baby. He set the bag on her desk in front of her.

"Darling, I'm eating for two but one of us is only about two pounds a little over a foot long. Masashi won't eat like this until he's sixteen," she murmured, picking out what she wanted to eat and leaving the rest.

"Well, I'll be getting back to work now," Kensei announced, kissing her on the top of her head since her mouth was full. "I love you, sweetheart."

"Love you," she mumbled around the food. She threw a folder at Hana to give him something to keep him busy while she ate.

"I really like your husband. You deserved someone like him," Hana stated very frankly.

"Well, thank you, sweet thing. I'm glad you think so. I'm kinda biased myself, but I believe he's the greatest thing that ever lived," she rejoined, stuffing more food into her mouth.

"He's a lot different than Gr-," he started to be abruptly cut off by a paperweight flying at his head. He dodged it, and it crashed into the wall leaving a big dent.

"Say that name again and next time I won't miss," she warned, taking a long sip of her tea. Her ex-husband's name had become 'the name that no one speaks.' Oh, to be able to taste wine again one of these days. She caressed her belly, reminding herself of the precious reason she didn't indulge.

"Duly noted, ma'am," he replied, his big blue eyes never moving from her.

"So when do you move in?" she inquired, reading a report as she continued to eat.

"This weekend," he answered.

"Great."

"Minny? Would Kensei really kill me if I ever touched you?"

"Yep. I'm sure."

One thought went through Hana's head. 'DAMMIT! But maybe some things are worth dying for.'

* * *

><p>"Are you insane?" Minny demanded, staring at Kensei as if he truly were insane.<p>

"I'm sorry, but I've got to go out of town," her husband said. "You know it's for the funeral of an active duty general. This is pretty important."

"I know. I understand that. It's the fact you insist Hana has to stay here. Why does he have to stay _here_? He's already right across the street. Isn't that close enough?" she asked, following him downstairs.

"Look, I don't want anything to happen to you. The doctor said she was a little bit concerned about your headaches and the high blood pressure. She wants you to rest and lie down as much as possible. Hana's agreed to be here with you so you don't have to do anything. Sweetheart, for me, please," he begged, getting down on one knee and placing his head against her belly. "I don't want anything to happen either one of my babies."

GOD! Really? That was just unfair. Minny just hated the thought of being babysat. She gave in when her husband began talking to their son. "Okay, I'll rest as much as possible while you're gone and be good. And Hana can stay here to make sure that I do," she grudgingly acquiesced.

"That's my girl. I love you," he said, kissing her and allowing his lips to linger. He kissed her again, pulling her as close to him as he could with her ever growing belly in the middle. He smiled at her as he touched her abdomen that was pressed against him. "Soon, we'll have that baby in our arms."

"I know. I love you, Kensei. Hurry back," she said, kissing him.

"Don't start that again, or I'll never get out of here. I love you, too," he called as he was walking out of the door.

Minny could hear the two men greeting each other on the other side of the door before Hana walked in with a smile on his face and happy to see her as always. She almost laughed when she thought of him as a human puppy: cute, loyal, sweet, big eyes that make you melt, and ALWAYS happy to see you.

"So what do we do now?" he asked.

"Want to watch a movie?" she inquired.

"Sure," he answered.

"Okay. You pick a movie," she said, pointing to the bookshelves lined with their movie collection. "And I'll go fix us some snacks."

Ten minutes later they were sitting on the couch with bowls of popcorn and candy. Hana had picked out a romantic comedy to her surprise. Minny had expected an action movie or maybe even a horror flick but not this. Halfway through the movie she began getting sleepy so she threw a pillow in his lap and lay her head down on it. She always did that to Kensei so it was more out of habit than anything. She totally missed the deer-in-the-headlights look on his face as she snuggled into his lap with a sigh.

"Hana, you're going to put me to sleep doing that," she mumbled drowsily when he began stroking her hair.

"Well, what's so bad about that? You need sleep," he said, looking around to make sure the remotes were within reach so he wouldn't have to move her.

"You're so sweet," she sighed, smiling slightly as he continued to play with her hair.

When her breathing was low and steady, Hana dared to let his fingers stray to her cheek. He smiled as her grin grew bigger, and she sighed with contentment. He stroked her neck next, feeling goose bumps rise under his fingers when she squirmed a little. His little experiment stopped there because he didn't want to wake her, and he also didn't want to be a pervert. He rested his hand on her belly, feeling a hard lump under his hand. A few seconds later it moved and he realized it was the baby's body he had been feeling. How amazing! A whole little human being right inside of her. He suddenly understood why her husband was so obsessed with touching her growing baby bump. His hand rested on her belly and he felt a sporadic tapping sensation against his palm. The baby finally quieted down and quit moving, but that was the most incredible thing he had ever experienced.

* * *

><p>Minny awoke hours later in a dark room. She finally got her bearings and realized she was still in the living room. A deep sigh from above her helped her to discover she was still in Hana's lap. She rolled over on her back to look up at his face because his head had fallen forward over her as he slept. 'How cute!' she thought to herself, reaching up to touch his nose. When he didn't move, she ran her fingers down his cheek. A giggle escaped her when he stirred and snorted, mumbling something in his sleep.<p>

"Hana, oh, Hana," she called sweetly, barely brushing his face and neck with her fingers. She sat up, placing her lips right next to his ear as she leaned across his body. "Hana!"

"Oh, god what?" he cried out, jumping so hard she had to hang on to him to keep from being dumped on the floor.

Minny was giggling so hard all she could do was hold on to his shirt and press her face into his chest. She felt his arms enclose her tightly, and she looked up at his face. A large lump formed in her throat, and she tried to swallow it so she could speak. He shouldn't be looking at her that way. She was a married woman; a married pregnant woman.

"H-Hana," she stuttered hoarsely, putting her finger against his lips. "Please, don't. I really like you, and I don't want my husband to kill you."

Hana appeared to be thinking. What the hell could he be thinking about? "Are you hungry?" he asked.

"Starving," she replied.

"I'll cook you something then," he said.

Wow! Two men to take care of her and both of them can cook! Was she the luckiest girl in the world or what?


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Minny was now thirty eight weeks pregnant and miserable. So close yet it seemed so far away. She was having a terrible bout with the Braxton-Hicks contractions which could be called the practice contractions getting her body ready for the baby to be born. Her joints ached, and it was hard for her to sleep. Due to lack of sleep and being stressed in general she had started having nightmares about her brother again. Will this ever stop? Will she ever be free of him?

"Minny?" Kensei called, coming into the kitchen that was lit only by the light of the full moon.

"I'm sorry, my darling. I couldn't sleep so I came downstairs so I wouldn't wake you," she said, her voice weak with exhaustion.

"Come on, sweetheart, come back with me," he urged, holding out his hand to her.

Minny did not really want to because she doubted she would be able to go to sleep. She would lay there for a few more hours staring at the ceiling while her back ached and the muscles of her abdomen sporadically tightened and released. To make him feel better though, she took his hand and allowed him to lead her to the bedroom. She was just plain tired and ready for Masashi to arrive because he had gotten to be too much for her body to handle. When he moved it sometimes caused her to feel nauseas because there was simply no room left. She lay down on the bed at her husband's prompting, and he moved up behind her.

"Oh, my god, Kensei," she cried out when he jammed the heel of his hand in the small of her back and pushed down hard. "That feels so good!"

"Man, it's been forever since I've heard that," he grumbled. The pregnancy was beginning to take its toll on him as well. For the last two weeks he had barely been able to touch her for a hug or a kiss much less anything else.

"It won't be much longer. The doctor said it could be at any time now really," Minny said. A groan passed her lips as he continued to rub the sore muscles of her lower back. The doctor had estimated the baby's weight to be about nine pounds.

"Sweetheart, I love you," he whispered in her ear, kissing her cheek.

"I love you too," she answered, just before she drifted off to sleep.

"_Minny!" __Sosuke called. Then she felt his hands on her pregnant belly. She was unable to move because fear had paralyzed her. She was trapped against him by some invisible force with her back to his chest as he softly rubbed her massive belly. The baby moved inside of her under his hands as if he was trying to get away as well._

"_I want your baby, Minny," he whispered, digging his fingernails into her skin and pulling. "I'm going to take him from you."_

_Minny screamed as he dug in harder, breaking the skin this time. "You can't! You're dead!"_

"_Some evil things never die little sister. Just remember, you have the same blood I do. It's running through your baby's veins," he said, pressing his lips to her neck as he clawed into her again. Blood streamed down her belly and her flesh hung in tatters from the long scrape marks._

"_No, no, NO! You are dead, and you are not a part of my baby!" she yelled, struggling to get away from him. She could hear his sinister laugh echoing in her ears as he forced his fingers deep into her belly. She cried out as the blinding pain of being torn open raced through her body igniting every nerve ending with pain._

"_Your baby is mine!" he growled in her ear, pulling hard to rip her in two._

"NO! I KILLED YOU!" Minny screamed, jumping out of the bed. She immediately went down to her knees when another contraction seized her abdomen making her feel like she was being squeezed in a vise.

"Minny! What the hell is wrong with you? What the hell are you talking about?" Kensei yelled, adding to her confusion.

Minny knelt on the floor panting heavily, trying to gather her wits while she was waiting to become fully awake and coherent. Another contraction began to creep across her back. It felt like each individual muscle was being pulled taut as it continued across her belly. Okay. She established the fact she was having real contractions, not the practice ones. That would explain the getting ripped apart thing in her dream.

"Kensei, I'm in labor," she said calmly, staring at her shell shocked husband whose wide brown eyes were riveted on her.

"Tell me what you meant. Please tell me it was a figure of speech. You haven't really killed someone, have you?" he asked, never moving his eyes from her or even blinking. Had he even heard that she was in labor?

Dammit. There never would be a good time to tell him this, but while she was in labor had to be the worst possible timing EVER! She took several deep breaths through the next contraction. When it was over, she crawled to the side of the bed and pulled herself up.

"Darling, I know you're in a state of shock, but I need you to shake it off. You need to grab my bag and help me down to the car," she ordered him. This man had been in battles and seen men dying yet he's rendered useless by wife being in labor.

"Tell me," he said, putting his arm around her waist to help her up.

"I killed my brother Sosuke," she stated bluntly, stopping for a contraction.

"Oh, well, that's not a bad thing. I can't think of a more deserving individual," he responded in a shockingly serene manner.

Minny debated whether or not she should tell him she planned it out then killed him. Probably not. The biggest part of the secret was out. Why quibble over the details? Planned? Accidental? Either way Kensei was right. Sosuke Aizen deserved what he got for the years of abuse he had subjected her to and for being a reprehensible sick bastard. She felt a gush of fluid down her legs and almost fainted. They had to get to the hospital fast.

"Kensei, not to stress you out any further, but my water just broke," she informed him.

"Damn," he muttered, throwing the strap of her tote bag over his shoulder. He swept her up in his arms to hurry down the stairs before rushing out of the front door.

The trip to the hospital was usually a thirty minute drive that Kensei managed to make in ten minutes without causing a traffic accident. He burst through the emergency room doors with his wife in his arms barking orders like a drill sergeant. Five minutes later she was in a birthing room. Her man knew how to get things done. 

* * *

><p>"Kensei, if you ever touch me again I will cut it off! Cut it off!" Minny screamed at the apex of the contraction.<p>

"Mrs. Muguruma, I need you to push. The sooner you bring this baby into the world the better for you. Now push," ordered Dr. Unohana.

"Come on, sweetheart, push," Kensei coached patiently.

"I hate you," his wife snarled, grabbing her knees to do as they said. She bellowed like an injured animal before flopping back on the bed. "Couldn't you just cut me open to get the baby out?"

"I'm not going to perform major surgery when you can have the baby this way. It's better for you and the baby," the doctor explained.

"Not ever getting pregnant would have been better for me," she growled, pushing again when they prompted her.

Dr. Unohana noticed Kensei's hurt expression from his wife's last statement. "Mr. Muguruma, don't pay much attention to what she says. She doesn't mean it. You can't begin to imagine the pain she's in. I haven't given her any drugs and most women would have been screaming for them hours ago. Hang in there," she encouraged him. She looked down, a big smile spreading across her face. "I see the head, Minny, you're almost there!"

Thirty minutes later, Minny was holding her warm, pink, eight pound fourteen ounce son in her arms. She nuzzled into the cap of fuzzy brown hair on the baby's head. She counted fingers and toes, kissed pudgy little cheeks and a round nose before she handed him over to his Daddy who was nearly beside himself with excitement. She moved over on the bed so her husband could sit next to her as he stared in wonder at his baby boy.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, tears running down her face. "For the terrible things I said."

"What things did you say?"

Oh, she loved him. 

* * *

><p>"Oh, Minny, he's so sweet," Byakuya cooed as he held the baby. No – what was sweet was seeing him standing there holding the baby and kissing the tiny little fingers wrapped around his big index finger.<p>

Minny knew she was grinning like a drunken fool, but she was so happy. Her husband had gone home for a few hours to sleep and allow other people, including her, to hold the baby. She snuggled down into the bed, taking the few minutes to relax while Byakuya held the baby. It was just plain fun to watch him with the infant. It always amused her the times when he broke out of his quiet, stoic shell to show some real personality.

"What are you smiling at?" he asked when he looked at her.

"You. Why don't you find you some young pretty little thing to marry you and have a baby? You're good looking and rich. It wouldn't be hard at all for you to catch a gorgeous trophy wife," she said, scooting over so he could sit down beside her in the bed. She propped up on her elbow to watch him as he leaned back beside her, laying the baby on his chest. Now this looked familiar; that's how her husband had stayed for the last twenty four hours, only giving her the baby long enough to feed him or change his diaper.

"Minny, you know how I feel about the whole relationship thing," he sighed, patting the baby on the back.

"I know. I just find it sad that you've closed your heart to love anyone else – ever," she said, meeting the gaze of his dark gray eyes.

"Why don't you work from home now? You can come into the office once or twice a week and for any special meetings. You've got Hana to help you as well. He could do a lot of the things that need to be done at the office. Be with your family and take care of them," he murmured, pressing a kiss to the baby's soft silky brown hair.

"Well, since you insist. I believe I will take you up on that offer," she replied, looking toward the door as it opened.

"Hi, honey," Ichigo said, coming to the bed to kiss her on the forehead. He placed the incredibly soft and squishy stuffed lion he held between her breasts.

"Oh, how cute," she gushed, hugging it to her.

"Can I hold him?" he asked Byakuya who sat up to reluctantly hand over the baby.

"You want to get in the bed with her too?" Byakuya asked, trying not to laugh as the two people both blushed deep red. He moved to allow the other man to sit beside her.

"How do you feel mama?" Ichigo asked, cuddling the baby to him in the crook of his arm.

"Tired, but happy," she answered, laying her head on his shoulder.

"If you ever need me, all you have to do is call you know," he said, tickling the baby under the chin.

Minny couldn't help but smile. All it's ever taken to bring him to her when she needed him was a phone call.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Minny propped herself up on her pillows, positioning the baby in her arms to feed him as she unbuttoned her nightgown. They had been home for a month already. Life had settled into a comfortable little routine for the new family. Her husband had almost completed the renovations to turn one of the rooms downstairs into an office for her. She smiled at Kensei when he walked out of the bathroom with nothing on but a towel. She sighed deeply as her eyes roved over his delicious body. It had been too long. They had both been so busy adjusting to their new life as parents neither one had even thought about it. She looked down to see the baby had fallen asleep while he was supposed to be eating.

"Wake up, sleepyhead," she cooed, tickling his cheek and chin with her finger. He immediately began sucking again before his bright little eyes popped open.

"I know how he feels," Kensei laughed when he heard the baby's contented sighs.

"Let me get him fed and back to sleep. Then it will be your turn," she murmured, smiling coquettishly at him.

"Oh, Mama," he growled playfully, winking at her. When Minny was done with the work of feeding him, he took the baby to play with him for a while before the child went back to sleep. After the baby was sound asleep, he lay him down in the bassinette next to their bed.

Minny opened her arms for her husband, hugging him tightly when he sat down next to her. She looked into his warm brown eyes as he slowly leaned forward to kiss her. Her hand glided down his chest and abdomen to the waist of his shorts while he kissed her passionately to wordlessly relay his need to her. She felt apprehensive, almost frightened, but she wanted to please him.

"Are you sure you are ready for this?" Kensei asked, stroking her cheek.

"Yes, I'm sure. We'll just have to be careful. I miss you…like this," she whispered, sliding her hand up his thigh. She gasped when his lips came back to hers in a tender but purposeful kiss. Her legs enclosed his waist when he knelt in front of her.

"I love you, sweetheart," he whispered, pressing his lips against hers while he tentatively entered her.

Minny gasped because it hurt a little. There was a bit of resistance and soreness, but not as much as she had expected. She wondered if this was what it was like when women had sex for the first time under normal circumstances; to want the touch of their lover with a nervous anticipation - to give themselves willingly. Her eyes moved to his, holding his gaze as he slowly and carefully made love to her for the first time in at least two months. She watched his face as he fought for control because he didn't want to hurt her. Within minutes he was shaking from an approaching orgasm so she whispered to him to just have it and not to hold back for her. She held on to him as he grunted in her ear while he experienced a very restrained climax, being cautious not to get carried away.

"You wouldn't have hurt me. You would never hurt me. I love you," she said, pressing gentle kisses to his face.

"Oh, Minny," he sighed, lying down next to her hold her in his arms. When she was snuggled comfortably against his chest, he dared to ask a question that had occasionally ran through his mind since her shocking confession the night she was in labor. "I need to you ask you something. When you killed your brother, was it an accident?"

Minny closed her eyes and sighed heavily. She thought she had successfully avoided this conversation. "No. I planned it out. I went to him with the intent of killing of him," she answered truthfully, tightening her arms around his waist.

"How did you do it?"

"Kensei, really? Why do you want to know all this?"

"I just want to know because I never would have dreamed my sweet wife could something like that," Kensei said, hugging her to him. "I know what it feels like to murder someone. I don't know if everyone I killed deserved it. I've heard it said that there are no innocent victims in war, but I beg to differ," he paused to take a deep breath. The memories of his past still haunted him too. "What you did in the past doesn't change how I feel about you now. Do you think anything less of me, knowing I've killed someone?" he inquired, tipping her chin up to look into her eyes.

"Well, no. You did what you had to do, what you were trained to do," she said, looking into his sad brown eyes.

"And you did what you had to do in order to survive. To keep him from hurting you anymore. How did you do it?" he repeated. He still insisted on knowing the details.

"I stabbed him through the lungs and heart with knives," she answered speaking rapidly to get it over with.

"Oh, damn," he gasped, hugging her close to him. He had used a gun and shot from a distance. He never saw most of the faces of his victims. They were simply a danger, an enemy, a target to be shot and killed. What she did had to be executed up close, and quite literally, personal. She had to touch him and probably looked into his eyes he died. A special kind of hatred and violence had to fuel a person to commit that kind of act. He understood how the years of abuse from her brother had given her that motivation. She had killed a vile, soulless creature; something less than human. "I would have never thought you were capable of something like that. I know you can be a little hotheaded and short tempered. But to do that…"

"Sweetheart, you're not helping me feel better here," she said, tears coming to her eyes. She had been a different woman then. She was self-centered and scheming, devious to no end, and sometimes cruel. Although she would never have admitted it, she was very much like her brother. "I don't like who I used to be."

"Well, none of that matters now. You don't have to worry about your psycho brother hurting you anymore. You're a wonderful wife and mother. You are not that person anymore and you never will be again," he stated matter of factly. "I love you, Minny. Forever and always. Never forget that."

* * *

><p>Kensei decided to come home early to surprise Minny. The thought of how happy she had been when he completed her office brought a smile to his face. Once again, her enthusiasm had led to a very stimulating display of affection. This time it was on <em>her<em> new desk in _her_ new office. She seemed to get very excited over everything about that house. What could he renovate or build next?

As Kensei neared her office he could hear their voices. When the picture of that young assistant of hers formed in his mind he was less than happy to say the least. He was afraid that boy was an affair waiting to happen. He stopped at the door to listen before he went in.

"Minny, grab it and squeeze it," Hana said, grunting.

"How does that feel?" Minny asked. "It's really big. Will it fit?"

"It will fit perfectly when it's in," he assured her.

Kensei felt sick. He heard a loud thump and a groan.

"Are you about to put it in?" He heard his sweet wife ask. How could she do this?

"Hold your breath while I put it in. I'm going to do it with one quick shove," the young man informed her. There was another thump and a squeal from her.

"YES! It's in!" she cried out.

That was it. He couldn't take it anymore.

Kensei kicked in the door with such force it swung off the hinges and flew into the bookshelves to the right. "WHAT THE HELL…" The irate husband immediately stopped yelling when he saw the gaping faces of two totally clothed people standing over the frame of the high chair they were putting together.

"Sweetheart?" Minny called. Her eyes were huge as she stared at her wild eyed husband gasping for air. "Are you all right?"

"Um, Boss, I think I better leave," Hana murmured edging past the sweaty, red faced man that still had a savage look in his eyes. Any thought he had EVER had of seducing Minny were gone and would never return after seeing her furious husband. "Good – bye, sir. See ya tomorrow."

"Yes, tomorrow," Kensei said, rubbing a hand over his face.

"Kensei, what did you think …"

"Please, don't ask." He was thoroughly humiliated with his rash assumption so he avoided looking at his wife who was still completely stunned by his explosive behavior.

"Oh, sweetheart," she sighed, walking to him to put her arms around his neck. "I love you so much, you big idiot."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Minny was busy typing in notes from a video conference she had just had with Gin. A smile pulled at her lips when she thought about how far they had come and how things had changed between them through the years. Rangiku was expecting their first child and he could not be a happier husband and father. Sometimes she wondered what it would have been like if they were together because it could have been her. Her eyes landed on the picture of her handsome husband holding their son the day he was born. No, she was right where she needed to be and who she needed to be with.

The door opened and in walked Hana with a big stack of paperwork just for her straight from her wonderful boss Byakuya Kuchiki. It's for sure the man took the term _work_ from home seriously. Her meeting with him would be at the end of the week so she decided she better get busy.

"How did the update with Mr. Ichimaru go?" Hana inquired, setting the imposing stack of papers right in the middle of her desk.

"Fine. Things are going great. They just added some new hotels. I swear I think they own every four star hotel in the world," she said, taking a deep breath. She rolled her head trying to release some of the tension in her neck.

"Here. Let me help you," he said, putting his hands on her shoulders.

Minny moaned as his fingers dug into the sore, tense muscles. She relaxed as much as possible while he massaged her stiff shoulders and neck.

"Stand up," he urged her, taking her by the hand to pull her out of her chair.

Minny apprehensively allowed him to press his body against hers with his chest to her back as he held her head in his hands. She wondered what the heck he was doing as he slowly turned her head from side to side with his hands pressed against her cheeks.

"Okay, I'm about to do something and it's important that you are completely loose and relaxed. Take a deep breath," he gently ordered.

Minny did as he asked releasing as much tension as possible. She cried out when he unexpectedly jerked her head to the right and a loud crunching noise was heard. A stinging pain like electricity hitting her nerves raced down her neck and across her shoulders then suddenly the ache and stiffness was gone.

"Oh, wow. That's amazing," she gasped, rubbing her shoulder as she easily moved her neck. She turned to thank him and found herself in his arms with her body held firmly to his. Her eyes met his deep blue ones that were filled with an expression that made her forget to breathe. "Hana, please," she whispered, her body trembling.

Two months had passed since Kensei ripped her office door of the hinges when he thought she and her assistant were having sex in her office. The young man sure forgets a near death experience fast.

Minny pushed against his chest as he lowered his lips to hers. His lips were soft and gentle on hers. Without meaning to, she moaned when his lips parted slightly and pressed harder against hers, enticing her to do the same. She ripped her lips from his, pressing her forehead against his chest. "Hana, please, we can't!" she cried, burying her face in his shirt mostly to keep him from kissing her again.

"I want you. I can't help myself. I've wanted you since I saw you again that night at the hostess club. Minny," he murmured, turning her chin up to him.

Minny took a deep breath and with tears in her eyes announced, "Hana, you're fired."

"What? You don't mean that," he chuckled, lowering his head toward hers. His eyes opened wide when she stopped him by placing her hand over his mouth.

"I don't want to do it, but I mean it. You-are-fired," she repeated, enunciating each word carefully. She exhaled deeply when he released her and stepped back from her.

"I suppose it's for the best. The feelings I have for you aren't going away, but getting stronger every day. It's too dangerous for us to work here alone. Too much temptation," he added, reaching out to run his fingers through her hair.

"I'm sorry. I really am," she murmured, a tear trickling from her eye. She really did hate this, but some disasters can be stopped before they start even though it might hurt. Best to hurt a little now than a lot later.

"Do I have to move out of the house I'm renting from you?" he inquired. She had totally forgotten about his arrangement to rent the house across the street that Kensei owned.

"That's up to you. Your being my employee has no bearing on where you live as long as you pay the rent," she replied stiffly.

"Well, I'll pack up my things here and then go get the ones at the office," he sighed, feeling incredibly stupid that he had let his emotions and thinking with his small head get the best of him.

"I can talk to Toshiro about getting you a job in another department. He will have no problem with that," she assured the dejected man.

"Nah, that's okay. Maybe it's best I just move on completely," he rejoined, rubbing the back of his neck self-consciously.

"Oh, Hana…" 

* * *

><p>"Bad day?" Kensei asked her at dinner that night. He had watched her push her food around the plate long enough.<p>

"Can I be completely honest with you and you not get angry?" Minny asked, narrowing her eyes at him. She had the feeling asking him not to get angry about what happened would be too much for him to promise.

"Yes, and I can't promise that," he replied, reaching across the table to take her hand in his.

Just what she thought. Well, at least he's always honest and upfront. Minny gave him a condensed version of the incident saying Hana made a very inappropriate advance on her, and she had no choice but to fire him.

"I was wondering how long it would be before you did that. You're not an idiot, Minny and I know you're not. I fully trusted you to do the right thing," he said, his dark piercing eyes gazing into hers.

Minny smiled sheepishly at him. It made her feel so good knowing her husband had that much faith in her and their love. She stood up, walking over to him kiss him. Her fingers ran through his white hair as she lowered her lips to his. Suddenly she was hungry for a whole lot more than food while her lips pressed harder against his. The baby was asleep so they had a few moments to themselves. Might as well make the most of it. She hiked up her skirt, her hands disappearing underneath while her husband's eyes steadily opened wider.

"Minny, what are you…oh, dear god," he sighed when she pulled her panties down her legs and tossed them at him.

"Just lean back and take it out," she ordered, pulling his chair back from the table.

Kensei was stunned at her first by her brazenness and sudden leap into seductress mode. His eyes slowly moved over her body when she stood in front of him to wait with her skirt gathered around her hips. He swiftly came back to his senses and began unbuckling his belt to do as she asked.

Minny straddled his lap to carefully lower herself down onto his ready and waiting member. She kissed him, moaning against his lips when she was settled comfortably on him. After his hands clamped themselves onto her hips, she began to move in a slow rocking motion to feel every inch of him. Her body responded with a tingling sensation as if a little burst of fire touched each nerve when he groaned loudly.

"Oh, Kensei," she moaned, moving her hips faster.

"I like it when you call my name," he whispered in her ear, kissing her neck. One of his hands twisted into her long flowing dark hair while the other cupped her behind to push her harder and faster.

"Kensei," she sighed, holding on to the back of the chair as the pleasure swelled within her body.

"Kiss me," he requested, raising his mouth to hers. He held her head, keeping her lips firmly against his while he unexpectedly stood up with her clinging to him.

Minny cried out his name as she held on to him with her legs wrapped securely around his waist. Oh, how his amazing strength turned her on and added to the feeling of ecstasy coursing through her body. She pushed down on his shoulders with her hands to move him inside of her as he held her around the waist. Her body began to shudder with the overwhelming pleasure of an orgasm while she made soft whimpering noises in his ear.

"Oh, sweetheart, oh, you feel great," he grunted while her body contracted around him. He called out her name as he was drawn to a wonderfully powerful end. His hand slapped down on the table to brace up his arm so that it would hold them up when he weakened and fell forward.

"Sometimes I forget how incredible you can be," she murmured as she unwound herself from his body. Her lips pressed a kiss to his damp, sweaty face that looked so gorgeous in its current love drunk state complete with a silly grin.

"The baby's crying," he announced pulling himself together so he could go grab his son. He lived for that child.

Minny smiled when he returned a few minutes later with the crying baby held against his chest. She pulled up her shirt and unhooked her bra to prepare to breastfeed the baby.

"Oh, little man you are lucky, lucky fellow and you don't even know it," he said as he stared at Minny's bared breast. They had been so overwrought with passion they completely skipped foreplay. He kissed the baby's forehead and handed him to his mother.

"He only gets them for about a year. You'll have them a lot longer that. Who is the lucky one?" she joked with her husband who smiled at her.

"I love you so much," he stated in a low almost purring voice.

"Ooooh, I really like it when you say it like that," she giggled, blushing slightly. "I love you too, my darling." 

* * *

><p>"Toshiro Hitsugaya!" Minny yelled as she swept into the personnel office the next day.<p>

"Back there!" exclaimed half a dozen employees in unison pointing to his desk in the corner.

"Can I hold the baby?" asked Momo appearing from nowhere. Apparently she was visiting her boyfriend today.

"Sure. I've got some business I need to discuss with your boyfriend," she said, handing her the gurgling infant.

"Awww! He's so cute!" she squealed, making the baby laugh.

"Need a new assistant?" Toshiro queried with a raised white eyebrow. How does he always know everything so fast?

"Quick! Tell me what I'm thinking," she said, holding her fingers to her temple and squeezing her eyes closed as if she was sending him telepathic waves.

"Smart ass," he mumbled, handing her a few file folders. "I was very picky with the candidates because I know what you want and what you need. There's only ten there but surely one is suitable."

"Thanks, sweetie, you're the best," she complimented, kissing him briefly on the lips. Everyone knew them and the nature of their relationship so well that kiss did not even warrant a curious glance, not even from Momo.

"So how is it, Mama?" he inquired, his eyes settling on her breasts that were at least two cup sizes bigger. Pregnancy and breastfeeding had been great for her in some ways. "My, the girls look lovely today."

"Lecherous little creep. I bet you'd reach out and touch them if we were alone," she teased, opening one of the file folders he had given her.

"You better believe I would," he laughed, noticing her face grow disturbingly pale. "Sweetheart, what is it?"

"Tesra Lindocruz. That was Grimmjow's assistant. What is his name doing in here?" she asked, handing him the folder.

"I'm sorry I totally wasn't thinking. I only looked at the qualifications. I'm so sorry," he apologized again taking the folder from her.

"No. Wait. You're right. He was a very qualified and capable assistant. I'll consider him based on that," she said, taking the folder back.

What had Tesra been doing in the past three years? He had quit when his boss pulled a disappearing act. Did he know where Grimmjow has been hiding? Did she want to know where her ex-husband has been and should she even care?


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Minny walked into the restaurant immediately seeing who she was looking for. He was nearly impossible to miss with his bright orange hair and waving his arms around as if he were trying to land a plane. She rushed to him and threw her arms around him to make him stop.

"Hello, honey," Ichigo murmured with a big smile before he kissed her on the cheek.

"Hello, sweetie. It's been a while since I've seen you," she said, sitting down in the chair he pulled out for her.

"How did your meeting with the boss go?" he inquired, sitting down beside her.

"Same as usual. I had to turn in a box full of paperwork and just general updates on everything. I have two interviews this afternoon for prospective assistants." She drank the whole glass of water that had sitting on the table for her. No wonder she felt dizzy, she must be dehydrated. Surely she was not nervous over a mundane thing like interviews. Even if one of the interviewees was a special case.

"Yeah, I heard. I really liked Hana too. I never would have guessed the kid could more of a horny little devil than me," he joked, trying to get her to smile. He did not like the worried expression that pinched her eyebrows together and stole her smile.

"Me either," she rejoined, granting him his wish for a smile. "One of the people I'm interviewing is Tesra Lindocruz."

"You ex's old assistant!" Ichigo exclaimed, choking on his water. A little warning for that bomb would have been nice. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Don't you want to know what happened to him? It's like he just disappeared from existence completely. Besides, Tesra was a very good assistant. I hired him and trained him remember?" she said with quite a bit of pride in her voice.

"Yes. I remember," he said, hoping he could quench his thirst this time without choking to death. "Got anymore shockers for me?"

"Nope. That's it."

After that they lapsed into a comfortable conversation about much lighter topics. Ichigo did his best to make her smile and laugh as much as possible. He did not like seeing her sad or upset. He was wondering what kind of emotional calamity she was setting herself up for by trying to make some kind of contact with her ex-husband. 

* * *

><p>"Mrs. Muguruma?" Tesra inquired in halting manner as he stuck out his hand to shake hers. His eyes stayed on her face.<p>

"Yes, and you are Tesra Lindocruz," she said as she shook his hand then indicated he take a seat. He still looked exactly the same even down to his shaggy blond hair.

"I'm sorry, but you look awfully familiar. I just can't place you," he stated with obvious confusion as he continued to stare at her with his warm brown eyes.

"You knew me as Mrs. Jaegerjacques." She could not stand to keep the man in suspense any longer. She watched his face as he narrowed his eyes with suspicion at first because he did not believe her. When recognition finally dawned, his mouth dropped open, and he turned just as white as the dress shirt he was wearing.

"Holy shit! No way!" he exclaimed, immediately getting a grip on himself. His white face quickly flooded with a deep red color. "I'm so sorry, ma'am. I-I just had no idea. I-I wasn't expecting…"

"It's all right. Just calm down. Let's begin the interview shall we? Why should I hire you, Tesra?" she asked, sitting back in her chair to listen. All of his qualifications were the same, and he had been working for the CEO of a chain of local fast food restaurants. "Why do you want to work for me?"

"I enjoyed working at Shinigami Corporation. Considering the circumstances that occurred back then, I thought it best to just leave rather than seek other employment opportunities within the company. I was thrilled when another job position came open and even more so when I received the call for an interview. And now that I know I would be working for you," he said, his eyes practically dancing with excitement. "I want this job more than ever. You the most professional and capable assistant I had ever met."

"Well, thank you. I suppose it's easy for you to understand how I got into my current position as vice president isn't it?" she inquired, leaning forward to prop her chin on her hand.

"Yes, ma'am. It is." He lowered his eyes from hers when a sad expression clouded his face. "I'm really sorry about what he did. I know he broke your heart."

Minny swallowed hard. She had not expected that. What was he apologizing for? Had he known something he should have told her? Does he know something now he should tell her? Her eyes studied his face as she stared at him trying to figure him out. He would be a great assistant and do very good but she wondered if he was just a connection with her past that would drag her down. "Most of the time I work from home. You will be expected to work with me there. I also keep my child with me while I am working so as my assistant you will be expected to help me in all ways. Do you have a problem with that?"

"No. No problem whatsoever. Even though you're a beautiful woman I would never act in appropriately with you. I have no problem with children because I grew up with younger siblings," he answered, gazing at her confidently.

"Very good. I have several more candidates I will be looking at as well. I should make my decision in no more than two weeks. I will be sure to let you know something either way," she said, standing up to shake his hand and bid him farewell. She watched his back as he walked straight and tall to the door.

"Mrs. Muguruma?" He turned back to look at her, his brown eyes were very serious as he held her gaze. "Just so you know, I have no idea what happened to your ex-husband. If I had known anything back then I would have told you. If I knew anything now, I would not tell you. Having any contact with him or knowledge of him could only hurt you. Good day, ma'am."

Minny dropped into her desk chair heavily. What in the hell was that all about? She could not tell if that last part was a threat or a warning. 

* * *

><p>"I'm home!" Minny yelled when she ran in the front door.<p>

"Let's go see, Mama," she could hear Kensei murmuring to the baby. "There's the lovely lady of the house we've missed so much!"

"Oh, my two favorite men. The only man I could ever love more than you, Kensei," she said as he handed her their son. She nuzzled the baby and kissed his chubby cheeks. His bubbling laughter soothed her frazzled nerves.

"What is it? What happened at work?" he inquired, hugging her and the baby both. Masashi cooed and gurgled happily as he was gently sandwiched in between his parents during their embrace.

"He's in a really good mood. Maybe you should become Mr. Mom and work from home," she suggested, looking down at the happy infant who was rubbing his face all over her chest. She knew what he was searching for.

"Uh, no. One day every once and awhile is fine, but not every day. I do love you, sweetheart and appreciate everything you do as a wife and mother," he said sincerely, giving her a kiss.

"Thank you, my darling. I fall in love with you all over again when you say things like that. I feel so much better now that I'm home with you," she sighed, turning to take the baby to the living room so she could feed him. "I forgot what a nerve racking process it is to hire a new employee. The first interview was great. The second one…not so much."

"That bad huh?" he inquired, rubbing her shoulders while Masashi contentedly got his fill of milk.

"Let's just say if lying and deception were one of the qualifications this person would have been a shoo in for the job. I wonder if she even told the truth about her name on the application. What are these people thinking?" she ranted, continuing on with her story.

Minny appreciated the way her husband patiently listened to her griping and moaning. To make her cherish him even more her massaged her neck and shoulders the whole time. Oh, she was a lucky woman. 

* * *

><p>"Are you just purposely trying to kill me with your choice of assistants?" Kensei yelled after she informed him she would be hiring Tesra as her assistant. It was his turn to gripe and moan, and she would darn sure have to listen to it.<p>

"I've already worked with him before. I know what a capable assistant he is," Minny replied defensively, staring at the highly polished and amazingly empty surface of her desk.

"Is that really why you're hiring him or is because you think he can connect you to your ex-husband?" he demanded brusquely. He wanted to know the truth.

"Maybe. I don't know to be honest. I don't want to be with Grimmjow but I would like to know what happened to him," she replied, giving him the honest answer to his question.

"You know, you really haven't changed much at all since I first met you. You can be the most infuriating, irritating, and stubborn woman!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands up into the air. He turned his back to her folding his arms over his chest. His breath stopped when he felt her behind him, sliding her hands around his waist. 'Sexy, manipulative, and sometimes cruel,' he added mentally to her list of attributes as one of her hands slid upward to his chest and the other moved downward to something else hard and muscular.

"Don't forget charming, seductive, and passionate," she murmured in her sultry voice she knew excited him.

"You're mean as hell Minny Muguruma," he accused, turning around to pull her into his arms. "And I love you."

Minny made a whimpering sound as he smashed his lips against hers for a kiss that conveyed his emotional and sexual frustration to her. It was difficult to kiss him when she was smiling. She loved him too. 

* * *

><p>"This is my office and where we will be working," Minny announced to Tesra as she showed him into her home office. It had been three weeks since she had interviewed him.<p>

Kensei appeared in the doorway holding the baby who lay on his broad chest asleep. Minny went to him and kissed him, putting her arm around his waist before she introduced them.

"Tesra, this is my husband Kensei and this," she said, kissing the baby on the cheek, "is Masashi. He will be part of your job too. Just so you know my husband will rearrange your anatomy if you ever make a move on me. Do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am. I completely understand," Tesra replied, covering his genitals with both hands protectively. He liked them right where they were so despite how pretty his boss might be, he would NEVER lay a hand on her.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21 

Minny arrived at the staff meeting early her so she and her new assistant could avoid to a room full of appalled stares. Most of her fellow employees were not happy with her choice of assistants and thought she had lost her mind. Why they all felt the need or the ability to tell her this she had no idea. Had everyone forgotten she was the _Vice President_ for Pete's sake? That might be her fault for always blurring the relationship lies between her position in the company hierarchy and theirs. She hated to pull rank but she was about to do it to make everyone shut up.

Byakuya watched her intently when she stood to begin the meeting. He was the one person who had not said anything, and he was the one person who had the right to venture an opinion and second guess her choice. His hand squeezed hers briefly because he could tell she was nervous.

"Good morning everyone. Before we get down to business, there's something of a more personal as well as professional nature that I would like to address first. I would like to remind you all that I am the Vice President of Shinigami Corporation. I would just like to inform you that the next one of you or your subordinates who dares to utter a word or even give me a sidelong glance about my choice of assistants will be fired on the spot. Do I make myself clear?" she asked pointedly, giving each person at the table a sharp glance. She smiled at Tesra who gave her a charming grin. "Well? Do you understand?" she demanded when she was greeted with a stony silence.

"Yes, Madam Vice President," they replied in an unharmonious cacophony. Some replied in a very grudging, stubborn manner.

"Just because you have an opinion, does not mean I care to actually hear it," she said, looking directly at a few of the bullheaded subordinates including Ichigo. His reaction had been something akin to Kensei's just more vocal because he didn't have to live with her.

Byakuya stood up to begin the business part of the meeting, patting her on the shoulder once she took her seat.

Minny was glad Tesra was there to take notes because she could barely listen. She heard Byakuya say something about a new company they were taking on called Arrancar Industries that would be the producer and supplier of the headstones, statues, urns, things like that. She had never heard of that company before and made a mental note to research it. Her meeting with the owner and CEO would take place tomorrow. Well, she was already married so she could not marry the boss of the new account like she had the last one. The thought made her smile when a picture of her gorgeous husband formed in her mind. And their baby, their precious little boy, Mashashi. She leaned back in her chair with a contented sigh. 

* * *

><p>The reclusive millionaire who owns Arrancar Industries keeps his identity hidden. His company suddenly appeared about three years ago from nowhere. He had bought a factory that had closed down in a town that was dying because its main employer of the town's residents was gone. What a hero! He saved the town by the reopening the factory. He loves motorcycles, fast cars, and even faster women. The latter are forced to sign contracts of confidentiality before they could even meet him. Why would women want to date a man with a gag order forced upon them? He must really be something special.<p>

"That is really weird," Minny muttered to herself as she scanned the company's website.

"What are you doing, sweetheart?" Kensei asked, walking behind her to rub her shoulders.

Oh, how she loved him and those wonderful hands. "I'm checking out our new account. I'll be meeting with the owner tomorrow. Sounds like a really weird guy," she said, continuing to read.

"Well, be careful. He seems to be quite eccentric," he commented after reading the bio on the mysterious owner.

"Just because he's a little odd doesn't mean he's crazy. He did a great thing for that town." Why was she defending a stranger?

"Yeah, I think it does mean he's barking mad in this guy's case," he rejoined in a grouchy manner.

Kensei had been grumpy since she hired Tesra and was still trying to adjust to that. Now, one more worry had been added to his already full plate. For his wife to be intelligent and business savvy, she could still be infuriatingly naïve when it came to men. Although it may be less obliviousness and more of a skewed sense of normalcy due to the abnormal and totally messed up relationship she had endured from her brother growing up. If she had not already killed the bastard he certainly would have. He looked down at his lovely wife who looked so sweet and innocent as her big brown eyed widened while she was reading something from the computer screen. He could not protect her in the past because he was not there, but he could protect her now and would do so with everything within him. She had been so fearful of telling him about her past and what she had done, afraid that he would reject her and despise her. It had awakened within him a need to guard her from any more harm. He knew he could be jealous, possessive, and downright insane about it sometimes but he was crazy about her and that's what drove him. For some reason, he felt anxious about this enigmatic new person who was about to enter their lives. He would have to think of a reason to stop by her office tomorrow. What emergency could he make up to go crashing in right in the middle of her meeting? 

* * *

><p>Minny nervously smoothed down her straight black skirt for the fifth time. Her whole body was trembling she was so nervous. She felt unprepared and caught off guard. She knew nothing about this man and did not like that. It also irritated her that he was thirty minutes late for their meeting. She tugged at the collar of her stiff Victorian style shirt that buttoned all the way up to her neck. Kensei had insisted she wear something ultra modest so she had acquiesced because the poor man was already on pins and needles as it was. So she wore the knee length skirt and white virginal blouse with ruffles that buttoned up high on her neck. Now she regretted it because she felt like she was choking. With a huff, she stalked out of her office with her fists by her sides.<p>

"Dammit! Doesn't anyone know how to get somewhere on time?" she griped to herself, going to the elevator. Punctuality had always been a high priority of hers because she knew the value of people's time especially hers. She planned on waiting downstairs so should give this secretive and tardy hermit a piece of her mind.

A deafening roar filled the colonnade as she pushed open the glass front doors of the building. A motorcycle appeared to her right, rushing at her full speed. Minny was frozen in astonishment and alarm as the rider slid sideways to stop within a few feet of her. The wind rushed by her blowing her hair into her face so that she couldn't see. She pushed her hair out of her face to glower at the reckless man swinging his long leg over the blue and white crotch rocket as he dismounted. He towered above her wearing a white leather jacket with light blue accents and white leather riding pants. The helmet he wore was white with a sky blue colored panther on it with its lips pulled back baring its fangs as if it were hissing or growling. Minny stared at her gaping reflection in the mirrored shield of the helmet. There was no way on hell or earth she could have ever been prepared for what happened next. The rider removed the helmet and there stood her ex-husband. His hair was longer but still blue and those teal eyes were unmistakable.

"Hello, darling. You're absolutely beautiful. Did you miss me?" he inquired, giving her one of his prize winning grins.

Minny swallowed hard, willing her heart to start beating again. Why do all of these blasts from the past keep returning to her as business associates? Gin was bad enough, but this! Fate was a real bitch. Letting go of her professionalism, she pulled back an released a closed fist punch that knocked him back into his motorcycle.

"Damn! You've gotten a lot stronger," he commented with a smile as he rubbed his aching jaw.

"You have no idea," she snarled, spinning on her heel. Someone else would have to take this account. She refused.

"Sorry I'm late," he yelled, running after her as she entered the building.

Gasps could be heard as they passed by. Some people dropped things, one woman even fainted. Minny was glad his sudden return was effecting everyone adversely and not just her. She was too angry right now to faint or to even talk to him. A million questions ran through her head but she would have to wait to ask them.

"You're gorgeous. How have you been?" Grimmjow asked casually getting on the elevator with her.

"Are you serious? Are you really serious?" she demanded cynically, staring at him. She shook her head and turned away. "Don't try to be nice to me after what you did."

"You divorced me remember," he said calmly, daring to smile at her.

Minny slapped him soundly across the face in an attempt to slap the smile right off him. It did not work. Her lips pressed into a white line of pure wrath as he grinned at her, his sky blue eyes sparkling with amusement. "Still an asshole after all these years," she grumbled.

"Oh, baby, I lo-"

"You say it and I swear to God I'll kill you right here in this elevator."

The rest of the ride up was silent. Minny kept her back turned to him. She was surprised she did not feel like crying. Unadulterated fury and needling aggravation was all she felt. Another storm of varied reactions met them as they walked toward Kuchiki's office.

"What the fuck is he doing here?" Ichigo bellowed across the office. Apparently everyone was forgetting their professionalism today considering who had arrived.

"Oh, holy hell it's true!" Kensei shouted when he arrived on the scene seconds later. Word travels way too fast in this place.

"Kuchiki!" Minny screamed barreling into his office.

"Oh, shit! What is he doing here?" Byakuya yelled.

Yep, everyone had lost their minds. Unbridled shock and nasty curse words were the order for the day. Grimmjow Jaegerjacques had reentered their lives and everyone was angry about it.

"Get out Jaegerjacques! I'm killing the deal," Byakuya announced, pulling Minny to him as if to guard her from the sinister beast in the room.

"Just who do you belong to, Minny?" Grimmjow asked, staring at the two people. He knew she was married but the picture he had found was a different man. "I know you're married and have a child. This isn't the man I saw you with in your picture on the company site."

"You're a stalker now?" she inquired, holding on to the man the man she viewed as a father figure.

"No. Rule number three of business. Know your enemy or ally. I was researching. Just like you did, I'm sure," he said, quickly turning his attention back to Kuchiki. "You can't kill this deal."

"I can and I am. No contracts have been made yet," he rejoined, hugging Minny tightly. Her under reaction frightened him more than if she had been panic stricken and terrified.

"No, I mean you can't kill it because it's too important to my employees. It's critical to the survival of my town that I make this deal. I can't let these people down," he said with a sincerity that tugged at Minny's heart.

"Byakuya, I –" Minny stared up at him.

"Yeah. I know. You want to make the deal. I understand," he responded, letting her go.

It wasn't about Grimmjow - it was about the survival of a whole lot of people and their way of life. Minny could not let some hate filled personal grudge toward him get in the way of that. Her husband was going to be upset, but she had to do it. She turned to her boss who was looking at her with obvious concern on his face.

"One promise. Do this for me or I will quit," she threatened as she stared into his dark slate colored eyes. After he nodded she proceeded to tell him, "No more new accounts. You create a position for someone to deal with new accounts only. I want that person to be Hanatoro Yamada. He's worked with me long enough that he knows what he's doing."

"All right, Minny. I'll work on that right now," he answered.

Who is the real boss around here? Grimmjow had a broad grin of satisfaction on his face. Some things never change. Especially not his Minny.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22 

Grimmjow followed Minny to her office watching the delightful swing of her hips. He bit his lower lip and felt an uncomfortable hardness form in his pants when he remembered the other ways those hips could move. His fingers itched to get into her soft waist length brown waves and brush through them. Then he would pull her head back and kiss the creamy white skin of her neck while his hand covered her…damn her breasts had gotten big.

"Grimmjow!" Minny shrieked like a harpy after she had stopped abruptly and he ran into her.

"What?" Damn that sound hurt his ears. He didn't miss that. He held his breath when she turned and her breasts scraped across his chest. If only he'd taken off the frigging leather jacket he could have felt them. Oh, how he wanted to touch her. He also wanted to grab her and throw her on the desk and screw her brains out. Now that was a sweet memory.

"We're here to do business. Nothing more. I don't want to reminisce and talk about the past. I'm here to make a contract with you for your services to our company. Shall we begin?" she demanded in a straightforward, no nonsense manner.

"Yes, ma'am. Give me a second to take off all this stuff," he said, placing his helmet on the table. He unzipped his leather jacket, watching her turn her back to stare out of the window. He could see the reflection of her angry face in the window. He would love to see her in leather: a short black shiny patent leather dress with six inch heeled boots and a whip.

'Bastard. Totally un -freaking -believable!' Minny fumed to herself keeping her eyes on the trees below as they swayed in the breeze. She had wanted to watch him peel off the leather riding suit. He probably looked like a damn stripper. Oh, holy crap! What was she thinking? She rubbed her face wishing she could erase the thoughts. After turning to face him, her eyes swept over him swiftly, and she was left with more unwanted thoughts. He was dressed in a light blue button down dress shirt and jeans so tight they looked painted on. His blue eyes virtually glowed and the smile he gave her made her feel like she was melting.

"Oh, damn," she mumbled before she could stop herself.

"Yeah. My sentiments exactly. You're beautiful, " he rejoined walking toward her.

Too late Minny realized she was caught between a proverbial rock and a hard place. Well, the hard place was literal and pressed against her stomach. Somebody needed to come save her before things got any thicker in here. The door flew open and she knew without seeing who it was standing there. The cavalry had arrived.

"Minny?" Kensei called because he did not see her. She was completely blocked from view by her ex-husband's body that was pressed against hers.

Minny was so relieved she almost fainted. "Um, Mr. Jaegerjacques was helping me get something out of my eye." If she could kick her own ass she would because that was just lame. She slid along the window, scraping against his body, to remove herself from Grimmjow's little trap.

"As long as you don't need help removing his tongue from your throat, I'm good," Kensei replied, glaring at the blue haired, blue eyed man smiling pleasantly at him and casually leaning against the window. Who the hell does this guy think he is? He wanted to beat hell out of him just for being so damn cocky and self-assured.

"Grimmjow, this is my husband and the father of my child, Kensei," she proudly announced as she introduced the two. "Darling, this is my ex-husband," she said with a sneer on her face and derision in her voice.

Grimmjow knew if her husband had not intruded in he would have her on the desk in less than a minute. She still couldn't resist him; he had seen it all over her face when he pressed his raging hard on against her.

"Mr. Muguruma, can I take your wife to dinner tonight? As you know, we have a very _intimate_ past and I think we need to discuss some things because it ended kind of badly," he boldy asked with a confident smirk on his face.

"Yes, it ended badly, and it was your fault asshole," Kensei retorted, pushing Minny behind him as if to shield her from the bullshit flying out of her ex-husband's mouth. "There's nothing you need to discuss with her. It's over."

"You motherfu-" Grimmjow began to be quickly cut off.

"Well, yes I am dipshit because she is the mother of my child," he shot back with a snarl.

"Oh, dear Lord save me," she muttered, glancing skyward.

"You don't pray," Kensei said over his shoulder.

"It's never too soon to start. Who else is going to save me?" she asked.

Her prayer was answered in the form of seven foot tall and scary as hell Kenpachi Zaraki.

"See, it works!" Minny exclaimed.

Grimmjow had always given her reasons to be happy to see Kenny. Today she would have kissed the man if he didn't have that out to kill look in his eyes and was zeroed in on the blue haired asshole.

"Wait now, Kenny! Don't you dare touch me!" Grimmjow yelled, keeping the desk between him and the man who had wanted to kill him for years.

"Just stand still. It will be over with quick," Kenny growled, reaching forward to grab him but the swift blue hair dodged. He kept grabbing for the fast, lithe man moving back and forth behind the desk. It was like watching a giant chasing a caged rabbit.

"Would you just grab him already, Kenny?" Kensei yelled. He wasn't helping. It was like a schoolyard fight.

"I'm trying! The little blue haired bugger is faster than he used to be!" Kenpachi yelled back defensively grabbing and missing but managing to throw papers everywhere from her desk.

"Come on! Use your one good eye! He was right there!" Kensei badgered him.

"If you don't shut up, you're next!" the big man growled threatening his less than helpful cheerleader.

Minny made a mental note to have a word with her husband when they arrived home. After ten minutes, it had become just plain sad so she decided to call a halt to playtime.

"All right everybody that's enough!" she exclaimed, trying to get their attention. She released an ear splitting whistle that stopped them in their tracks and nearly brought them to their knees. "HEY! LISTEN UP! THERE'S ONLY ROOM FOR ONE ASSHOLE IN HERE AND UNFORTUNATELY IT'S GOT TO BE HIM!" she screamed so loudly it made her throat sore. She was pointing to Grimmjow so the other two immediately hung their heads and left.

Kensei dared to poke his head back in the door to have a one word order barked at him, "Out!" He nodded and closed the door behind him.

"I see things are pretty much the same around here since I left," he said, flopping down in one of the chairs in front of her desk.

"No, some things have changed. Even more people hate you now. Before, you did have a few friends like Ichigo. We also have a whole new department headed by my husband that can hate you too," she replied snarkily. "Welcome home, baby!"

Suddenly it was all coming back to him why he divorced her in the first place. Oh, wait…she dumped him. Dammit. Whatever. At least she wasn't his problem anymore. That poor soul that just had his gonads handed to him by her had to deal with her now. However, he seemed content and quite happy to deal with her, and it was obvious he loved her.

Grimmjow looked at Minny on her knees with her behind swaying in the air she picked up the papers that had been strewn all over the floor. Married life and motherhood had been really good to her. She glowed she was so happy. Her new body after motherhood was simply amazing: rounder, softer, and bigger in all the right places. He held his breath when her hip bumped his shin as she crawled past him to retrieve the rest of the stray papers.

'Asshole. He could have helped,' Minny thought to herself as she snagged the last paper. She sat up and was about to place her hand on the desk when she felt his hand envelope hers. Her eyes swung upward to meet the blue ones staring down at her. She felt herself being pulled up by him.

"Minny, just make a contract. Give me a fair deal that's all I'm asking. You know what's at stake here. I fully trust you to do the right thing," he said, running his fingers through her hair when she was standing in front of him.

"Well, this contract should only take a few days to draw up then. We need to negotiate the specific terms and work out the details of the deal. Besides, you can always take me to lunch," she told him with a shrug as she extracted her hand from his and turned to sit down in her chair.

Grimmjow smiled. Poor Kensei had his hands full with this one; he actually felt sorry for the man. She was still like dynamite – something forceful and explosive in a small, harmless looking package. Foxy definitely applied to her in two ways: her beauty and her cleverness. She had gotten better in so many ways. He stared at her while she sat straight and tall in her chair, typing away her computer. Not too long ago she was all his. And he had ruined it. 

* * *

><p>"Don't you want to take a break?" Grimmjow inquired after she typed a string of numbers into the computer and stared at the screen.<p>

"Hmmm…what?" she mumbled without taking her eyes off the screen.

"It's one. Let's go to lunch," he said, reaching over to flip off her computer screen.

"Hey!" she exclaimed, slapping his hand. "We can grab something from the café downstairs and bring it back up here."

"No. I'm taking you out," he informed her in a no arguments tone.

"Okay. Fine," she responded without arguing.

Grimmjow grabbed his helmet and leather jacket. After taking her by the arm, he officially had everything he needed for a great lunch date.

Minny allowed him to hold her arm as they made their way to the elevator. She thought for sure he would release her when they stepped inside but he did not. A defeating, bone weary fatigue overwhelmed her all of a sudden making her feel weak. Maybe it was because the anger draining her system had finally dissipated. Her body leaned against his, and she thought she heard him sigh. She was too tired to care what he might be thinking – something lecherous and creepy no doubt. That part of his defective personality certainly had not changed and seemed worse. When her eyes landed on the motorcycle as they walked out of the front doors, she suggested they take her car. She blinked at him in confusion when he pulled his leather jacket onto her arms. Her eyes stayed on his as he crouched down in front of her. A shrill shriek escaped her when he put his hands under the hem of her skirt and slid them up hiking her skirt. When his hands reached mid-thigh, he hoisted her up and she had no choice but to wrap her legs around his waist to keep from falling. She held her breath because he was too close to her in too many ways at this moment. Her eyes held his for long seconds that felt like minutes.

"I'm going to take you for a ride," he murmured, staring at her lips but he did not attempt to kiss her. He set her back down on her feet and pushed the heavy helmet down on her head. "There. Hop on behind me and hold on."

Minny watched him easily swing his leg over the motorcycle then wait for her to get on behind him.

"Wait, Grimmjow! I can't ride that thing. Are you crazy?" she yelled as he hopped up to start it and kick up the stand.

"Come on, babe. I won't let anything happen to you. I promise. Just hang on to me," he said, holding out his hand for her.

Minny bit her lower lip because she actually did want to get on that thing. She had never ridden a motorcycle before and he looked so damned hot sitting there on it. However, she strictly wanted to ride the machine and not the man. Inhaling deeply as if to find her courage, she pulled her skirt up to her upper thighs, took his hand, and swung her leg over the big, noisy machine. It was not graceful given her short stature, but she made it on with his help. She slid her arms around his waist, hooking her thumbs through the front belt loops of his jeans.

"Hold on tight," he told her, grinning as he took off.

Minny closed her eyes and laid her head against his back. She pressed her thighs to his feeling the roughness of the seam of the jeans scraping against her sensitive skin. The strong vibrations of the motorcycle under her caused some unexpected, and at this time definitely undesired, sensations to course through her body. By the time they reached their destination she was panting and flustered. She would dare to believe she had been very close to having an orgasm.

Grimmjow pulled her hands off of his waist and dismounted. He wondered what the problem was when she did not move. She didn't even bother to push down her skirt to hide her black lacey panties from his view. He pulled off the helmet, biting his lip so he wouldn't laugh when he saw her flushed face and glazed eyes. That was an unforeseen reaction to the ride. Fear and anxiety was what he expected to see on her face but she looked…he remembered that look from when he made love to her.

"Oh, my god," he mumbled, reaching out to touch her face. A lascivious grin curled his lips as he moved closer to her.

"Grimmjow, please don't," she begged breathlessly as he bent his head to hers.

"Just one kiss," he murmured, his lips close enough to hers to brush them.

"Please," she mumbled. She was startled when she felt one of his hands on her inner thigh barely grazing the skin with his fingertips.

"I can help you. I can finish you off," he whispered, his roaming fingers stopping inches from her womanhood. "Tell me what to do."

"Stop, please," she whispered back unable to talk louder.

"If that's what you want," he said, kissing her on the forehead before taking her by the waist to remove her from the seat.

No. That wasn't what she wanted. What she wanted was totally wrong because she wanted him to have sex with her right there on his motorcycle. But what she wanted and what she needed had always been two totally separate things. She may want the incredibly attractive and alluring ex-husband for fun, but she needed her husband and son to live.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N - The waitress Emi is an OC strictly made for the purposes of this scene.

* * *

><p>Chapter 23 <p>

"What is this place?" Minny asked, unable to hide the disgust from her face.

The building looked like an old broken down shed that could fall in on itself at any time. Old rusty signs were nailed all over the outside of it at random intervals. Neon beer signs hung in the dirty windows. A bar? There were twenty motorcycles lined up along the front of the building. A biker bar no less. Oh, goody. Her ex had already tried to screw her once now he had successfully done it with his choice of eateries. What had come over her to make her think she could trust him?

"What's wrong, my Queen? Too good to rub elbows with the common rabble? This place has some of the best food you'll ever put in your mouth. Trust me," Grimmjow said, holding out his hand for her.

Minny had already done that and look where it had gotten her. She put her hand in his and allowed him to lead her inside. They were already here, and she could use a cold beer right about now so she willingly went in with him.

"So tell me, darling, how do you know about this place?" she asked as he led her to a booth in a secluded back corner. Of course he would want to hide somewhere.

"I've made quite a number visits to the city in the last few months. This became my favorite place to eat during that time. I've seen you many times. I've seen you out with your husband and son," he said, sliding in next to her after she sat down and moved all the way against the wall. He placed his thigh next to hers which was really unnecessary because there was no lack for space.

"Oh? So you've been stalking me?" she inquired apprehensively, thinking a shot of tequila would go nicely with that beer.

"Why are you shaking?" he asked turning to look into her eyes.

"You're scaring me," she answered, attempting to slide away but she was already against the wall. Yet another error in judgment on her part. She should know to leave herself an escape route when he is around.

"What'll it be, hon?" the waitress asked, loudly popping her gum. Her eyes lit up with recognition when Grimmjow turned to smile at her. "Oh, hey, sweetie! It's been a while! I've missed you."

Minny rolled her eyes at the obvious flirtation between them wishing she could disappear. This poor woman was a waitress stereotype if she had ever seen one from her shimmery blue eye shadow to her wanton behavior.

"Hi, Emi! Can you bring us two cheeseburgers and fries with two beers?" he requested.

He knows her by name? And what did he just order? They were busy in a conversation when she interrupted.

"Can I have two tequila shots?" Minny requested, receiving a scowl from the waitress.

"Sure thing," the waitress said, turning her attention back to the handsome salacious man in front of her. She continued to talk to him aggravating Minny more by the second.

Minny jumped when she felt Grimmjow's hand on her knee. She shoved it away as he continued to shamelessly flirt with the waitress. What an asshole! Her nerves were beginning to fray so she really needed those shots.

"Can we have that today?" Minny demanded rudely, receiving an angry glare from the waitress who actually believed she stood a chance with the insincere Casanova.

"Yeah, hang on would ya!" the waitress shot back just as crudely.

Minny could not see his face but imagined Grimmjow was grinning like a Cheshire cat and having the time of his life at the moment.

"Emi, we are on a lunch break, dear so if you could get that for us it would be great," he said, reaching back and putting his hand all the way up his ex-wife's skirt this time.

Minny grabbed his arm and sank her fingernails into his beefy forearm while a look of crushing disappointment caved in the waitress's face. If only that little gal knew what she was being saved from she would not be so sad.

"It's not like that. If you want him, you can have him. I just want my damn shots," Minny growled, releasing his arm.

Emi's face brightened, and she virtually skipped away to get their drinks.

"You are such an asshole" Minny hissed when he turned toward her.

"I wasn't stalking you," he said, answering her question from earlier. "I was just wondering if there was any chance in hell I could get you back. It quickly became clear that there wasn't, but I couldn't stop myself. I just wanted to see you," he murmured, tracing the contours of her jaw with his fingers.

Minny inhaled deeply, hoping her heart did not beat out of her chest. She closed her eyes and leaned against the wall behind her. Unfortunately, Casanova took this as an invitation to kiss her and did so. His lips were soft and feather light on hers. She was so stunned she was unable to move.

"Grimmjow, stop," she commanded in an unemotional voice. If her body wasn't frozen with shock, she would have shoved him away.

"I would say I'm sorry, but I'm not," he said, leaning in to kiss her again.

Emi returned at another advantageous time and slammed their drinks down on the table sloshing them out of the glasses. She had put them down with such force it made the beers foam up and run over the tops of their glasses.

"Here!" she barked, moving away as quickly as possible.

"You know how to make a great impression on women wherever you go, don't you?" Minny snorted, grabbing a shot and downing it. No time for lime and salt because her jangled nerves and flip flopping stomach needed to be calmed down. The second shot went down just as swiftly leaving her with a warm, floating feeling. It had been a while since she had drank anything so the alcohol hit her hard.

"When did you stop drinking wine, Miss Prissy Pants?" Grimmjow inquired, pushing her hair over her shoulder. He was impressed with the way she had downed the shots with the ease of a seasoned drinker.

"I'm probably going to be very drunk after this. You'll have to take me home," she said, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"That sounds like a wonderful plan," he mumbled, sipping his beer.

"My home."

"Oh."

When their food arrived, Minny stared at the burger with wide eyes. With all of the toppings and the massive thick patty it must be at least six inches tall.

"What's wrong?" he asked, looking at her pink face and glassy eyes. She was definitely drunk.

"It's so big! How will I get something that big in my mouth?" she wondered aloud.

"Oh, come on, you've put big things in your mouth before," he chuckled.

Minny made a sound of disgust and pushed him away from her. Unfortunately, she did not know her own strength and pushed him right out of the booth onto the floor. She laughed loudly, sliding from the slippery highly polished wooden seat and under the table. He laughed uproariously at her impromptu disappearing act. Her laughter combined with his as they both pulled themselves back into their seats.

"I miss you," he murmured, putting his arms around her.

"No you don't. You miss who you thought I was. I'm not that person. Especially now," she said, shocking him by kissing him on the lips briefly. "Let it go. It's over."

"I know. I'm sorry I hurt you."

"Yeah. Me too."

After that uncomfortable exchange, the fun was suddenly over so they resorted to talking about the contract to avoid letting an agonizing silence settle over them. They were supposed to be having a business lunch so they might as well actually talk about business. Grimmjow left the restaurant with the waitress's phone number this time as if he could not have done that on the many occasions he had come alone.

Minny smiled when she slid onto the motorcycle behind him. Although it had hurt like hell at the time, divorcing him was the best decision she had ever made. She thought about her husband and child and was unable to imagine her life without them. 

* * *

><p>Kensei was sitting in the bed anxiously waiting for his wife to get out of the shower. He had withheld any questions until bedtime when they were alone and Masashi was asleep. His eyes scanned her body as she walked into the room with a towel wrapped around her.<p>

"Don't get dressed," he said, when he watched her pawing through her drawer to find clothes.

"What?" she asked, giggling lightly.

"Come here. I want to see you," he murmured, taking her hand. After she dropped the towel, he pulled her into the bed next to him.

Minny observed his wonderful face as his eyes and fingers traced over the contours of her face. Her hand pressed against his bare chest while his fingers glided down her neck and over her chest. She bit her lower lip and sighed as his fingertips grazed her nipple.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered, pulling her to him to kiss her neck.

"Kensei, are you all right?" she inquired as he gingerly pressed kisses all over her neck causing a definite need for him to grow within her.

"Darling, tell me honestly, I'll try to be to understanding and patient, but please be truthful…did you have sex with your ex-husband today?" he asked, gazing into her eyes when she moved back to look at him.

"No, my love, I didn't," she replied, kissing him on the lips.

Kensei released the breath he had been holding, closing his eyes. He felt her fingertips on his cheek, guiding his mouth to hers. "I love you," he whispered, feeling her lips near his.

"I love you too." She allowed her mouth to softly brush over his before pressing down harder to deepen the kiss.

"Minny? Can I make love to you?"

"Please do, Kensei," she begged, kissing him again. She wanted her husband. She needed him and that intimate connection with him to remind her how much he loved her.

Kensei slid his hand up her thigh and over her behind. His lips dropped from hers to begin trailing kisses down her neck, but she stopped him with a tender touch by placing her hands on his shoulders.

"Lay back and relax," Minny urged him pushing down on his brawny shoulders. Her hands slid over his muscular chest and belly. She loved the feel of him under her fingertips. He was her husband and the only man she wanted for the rest of her life.

"Oh, sweetheart," he moaned, when she grasped his erection and stroked him. "Please…I need you."

That was all she needed to hear to happily oblige him. Minny straddled his hips, positioning herself over him. She held his member in her hand as she moved her body over the head.

"Minny, please," he implored when she teased him by brushing her body across him but not taking him in.

"Please what?"

"Make love to me."

"All right," she rammed herself down on him which made both of them cry out.

Kensei covered her breasts with his hands, squeezing and kneading them as she moved up and down on him. He raised his hips into her which drew a long moan of pleasure from her. His hands slid down to her hips to hold her down as he pushed his hips up to grind against her.

"Oh, yes!" she exclaimed, moving her hips in a front to back rocking motion. The loud groan from him let her know that he liked that.

It seemed as if they started a sensual contest as to who could draw the loudest noise from their partner. It was the most pleasurable contest ever. By the time it was over they were both yelling each other's names as they shuddered and shook from fabulously blissful simultaneous orgasms. Both of them going into the throes of passion at once only seemed to make it more intense and mind blowing for the other. When the aftershocks quit coming, they were reduced to a spineless pile of sweating humanity that would need all night to recover. With one last kiss, they fell asleep in each other's arms.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Minny sat at her desk going over the notes about Grimmjow's company. She was busy working on deciding terms for the contract. She glanced at her watch: 9:10! How did it get that late? With a sigh of exasperation she realized he was over an hour late without even a phone call to explain. Even a text would have been nice. That aggravating man really had not changed at all but had gotten worse. Maybe she should just end contract negotiations if he was this irresponsible. She looked back at his profit sheet which showed a steady rise since he restarted production. How is that possible? She went back to work and more time passed without his arrival.

"Sorry, I'm late," Grimmjow blurted, rushing into her office.

10:16. Bastard. Is it really that hard to arrive on time?

"Here. These are the terms I've worked out so far," Minny stated formally completely ignoring his apology.

"I brought you something," he said, handing her a cup of coffee.

Minny gave him a wilting glare then turned back to her computer. She refused to accept the pathetic peace offering. "Please, look those over and tell me if they are agreeable."

"I said I was sorry," he whined. Then he made the mistake of telling her why he was late which only fueled the fury burning within her. "I had a date with Emi last night and boy, was she a hot little number."

How stupid is this man?

"I DON'T CARE!" she screamed, shocking them both with her volume and intensity. She stood up, shaking her finger at him like a mother admonishing her child. "Sorry doesn't fix it! If you are late again, I will kill this deal instantly."

"You can't." He glowered at her fiercely.

"I can and I will. Byakuya has given me total control over this and the decision is mine. He's waiting to sign off on the finished project. If you want this, and you said you did, get your ass in gear and get serious. Quit dicking around and get this done for your people, you asshole!" she yelled at him, slamming her fists down on the desk.

Grimmjow gaped at the woman standing in front of him. Her shoulders moved up and down she was panting for air so heavily. Her face was red and her eyes bulged out she was so irate.

"Grow up! Get serious for once before you destroy any more lives!" she bellowed at him, watching his expression turn to shame within an instant. Good. He deserved a wakeup call and she was more than willing to be the one to ring his bell. 

* * *

><p>Minny arrived early at work to type up the remaining part of the contract they had agreed upon yesterday. Her infuriating ex had managed to drag this out for a week but at least he managed to arrive on time every day after that first day. He had driven her crazy with quibbling over every point, but she knew it was to stall. She wanted him gone. There were no more lunch dates out of the office; food was delivered to her office from the café downstairs. The not so subtle hints and constant closeness had worn her nerves down to a nub. She smiled when she remembered Hana would be in on Monday. She did not look up when she heard the door to her office open.<p>

"Minny," Grimmjow stated her name in such a way his voice virtually caressed her skin.

Minny shivered, feeling her mouth go dry. It aggravated her that he could still effect her that way. She slowly turned to see a vase of rare blue roses sitting on her desk. Despite the melancholy it stirred up, she forced a smile onto her face. This was disturbingly familiar. She wondered where he always found these incredibly unusual flowers on such short notice.

"What's this?" she inquired, touching one of the silky azure petals.

"A thank you. A good-bye," he said, sitting down in the chair across from her. The sadness in his voice was unmistakable.

Minny did not know what to say so she did not say anything at all. She turned back to her computer screen to finish her typing. With the click of a few more keys, the document was saved and began printing. Soon he would be gone from her life – again.

"Will you visit the factory one day?" he asked when she stood up to retrieve the papers.

"No. Someone else will handle the subsidiary company visits. You know that," she responded with a curt professional tone.

"That's not what I meant," he rejoined, standing up as she walked toward the door. He seized her by the arm to keep her from leaving the office.

"Grimmjow, I knew what you meant. Let it go. It's over. I have a different life now. And it doesn't include you," she said, shaking out his grip. Her intention had not been to be maliciously cruel, but he had to know. Enough was enough, and it was time to move on. She refused to let him destroy the wonderful new life she had.

"So that's it?"

"Yes. That's it."

Minny walked out and turned into Byakuya's office next door. She placed the finished contract on his desk, ignoring his expression of concern as he stared at her pale face.

"Are you all right?" Byakuya inquired, looking down when she bent down close to him.

"Just sign the damn thing, and let's get him out of here," she muttered in a low voice near his ear as she pretended to point out something on the contract.

Byakuya grabbed a pen and commenced to flipping through the pages to find the lines to sign on. He never read contracts that his VP created because he trusted her implicitly. After completing his signatures, he handed the pen to her. His eyes observed her carefully as with each signature more tears appeared in her eyes and threatened to fall. Was it sadness or relief that made her cry? Or both?

Minny sniffed handing Grimmjow the pen and sliding the papers over to him. She felt like screaming at him when he stared at the pen as if he did not know how to use it. Her throat constricted and her eyes burned. She was not really sure why she was crying; possibly because it was just sad to say good-bye all over again. After he reluctantly signed the last blank, she snatched the contract out from under the pen.

"Congratulations, Mr. Jaegerjacques, your company is officially a part of the Shinigami Corporation. We will do our best to make your company a success to ensure the success of us all," she formally announced, feeling a tear escape from her eye. She was headed straight for the door when he moved in front of her to stop her.

"Thank you, Mrs. Muguruma. My week here with you has been quite pleasant and enjoyable," he returned, reaching up to brush away the lone tear sliding down her cheek with his thumb. "Minny, I'll die loving you and regretting the day I ever hurt you."

"Jaegerjacques, that's enough. Let her leave," Byuakuya warned. His voice was deadly calm holding a not so hidden threat.

"Good-bye," Minny said, exiting the office. She took a deep breath and headed to the file room. No one was ever in there and she needed to get the contract filed anyway. She had no idea she had attracted the attention of a certain orange haired man.

"Minny?" he called, making her nearly jump out of her skin. "Are you all right?"

"I will be eventually," she replied without turning to look at him as she finalized the contract. She remembered the last time Ichigo was alone in the file room with her and had to smile.

"I could tell you were upset. Rough week huh?" he asked, coming to stand next to her. He did not try to touch her because he did not trust himself to be alone with her. He still loved her, but he hid it. Was he a fool? Without a doubt, but he could not let her go.

"Very stressful. I've had them before," she stated flippantly, giving him a smile that made his heart beat faster.

"Hey, I hear Hana's coming back." He hoped his desperation to find subjects to converse about did not show. He had never felt nervous around her until recently.

"Yes. I'm so excited. Sometimes I wonder if I'm slowly fazing myself out around here." She had already switched to working mainly from a home office, and she was appointing other people to do part of her job. Soon she might make herself useless.

"That could never happen. We need you too much around here." He sighed with relief that he had not experienced a Freudian slip and interjected 'I' for 'we.' He slid her a furtive sideways glance and was just about to give into the urge to touch her.

"Minny, can you come back to my office?" Byakuya requested when he appeared in the door of the file room. "Hello, Kurosaki. Where have you been hiding?"

"Busy working as always boss," Ichigo answered, deciding it was time to make a hasty exit as the man's slate grey eyes bore through him.

"See ya later!" Minny called after him.

"Sure thing, honey!" he called back without turning around.

Minny slid the contract into an envelope, then a folder before finding the proper place for it on the shelf. She was completely unperturbed by Byakuya's steady gaze on her. She had become accustomed to the quiet, observant man throughout the years and realized that was just his way. He had taught her that more can be learned about people by watching them than talking constantly.

"Is he gone?" she asked as they walked back to his office.

"Yes. He's gone. I know that was hard for you. I'm proud of you. You did a wonderful job and held yourself together. And you didn't do anything epically stupid like sleep with him," he added before they entered his office.

"Thank you…I think," she said slowly, taken aback by his frankness about such a matter. He could still take her by surprise sometimes by saying things like that.

"Minny, why don't you start working almost exclusively from home? You can check in with me on a monthly basis and attend just one staff meeting a month. Your role will be more of a consultation position. What do you think?"

"Are you trying to get rid of me? Have I done something wrong?"

"No, no, no," he said, holding up his hands in a halt position as if to stop her fear. "I just want you to have more time with your husband and son. I know how much they mean to you."

"Oh, ok," she murmured, still apprehensive. "All right. That sounds great." 

* * *

><p>"He's been good," Tesra said, passing the giggling infant to his mother when she returned home early. "He sure has missed you this past week."<p>

"Tesra, I need to ask you a few questions and I want you to be completely honest," Minny began, kissing the baby on the forehead. She sat down in her desk chair motioning for him to take a seat across from her.

Although she looked pleasant and sweet holding the baby, Tesra had the distinct feeling she was about to rip him apart if he did not answer her questions correctly. He swallowed hard when she smiled it him while bouncing the baby on her knee. Mothers were notorious for being some of the most vicious creatures in the animal kingdom no matter how nurturing and loving they were.

"Did you know about Grimmjow? Did you know where he was at? What he was doing?" she inquired in quick succession.

"No ma'am. I swear I didn't. I really didn't know. And like I already said, I wouldn't have told you anyway. What good would it have done? It would have hurt you all over again and he's still an asshole so it wouldn't have changed anything," he explained, holding out his hands in a pleading gesture of surrender.

Tesra really had not known neither did he care about Grimmjow's whereabouts. He had no desire to know where that damn man had disappeared to. It was a relief that he had not had to deal with his former boss at all this week. The toll it had taken on his present boss became clearer each day. She had progressively become moodier and by the end of the week had not wanted to talk to anyone. Their present conversation was more than she had said to him all week.

"All right. I believe you. You'll be seeing a lot more of me now that it's over. I'll be working from home almost exclusively now," she informed him, holding up the baby to coo and make funny faces at him.

Tesra watched with a smile on his face. He was glad she would be around more often. She could take care of the baby while he did all the work which suited him just fine. He turned back to his present work when she left the room with the baby.

Minny thought about Hana's arrival on Monday. She had not yet told her husband that he was returning. She doubted the news would go over well. 

* * *

><p>Minny decided to meet Hana at her office at the corporate building instead of at home. It seemed safer and less likely for an incident to start. An agitated, diminutive white haired man with a scowl waited for her by the elevator.<p>

"Are you crazy? Bringing Hana back here?" Toshiro demanded, getting into the elevator with her.

"I'm fine thank you. How are you?" she inquired, aggravated that he could not at least greet her before ripping into her. "It will be fine. He won't be working directly with me. He will be staying at the main office. When I meet with him, it will always be with other people in the room. He's the new accounts manager and will answer to Byakuya mostly. I won't have much contact with him, and it will be advisory consults. I'll be assisting him actually. That's odd," she muttered, making the realization for the first time. She stared at her grumpy friend who was glaring at her. Sometimes she felt like she had two husbands when it came to the overprotective Toshiro.

"Yeah, well, if he lays another hand on you, I'll break his fingers and then – "

"You'll be lucky if there's anything left for you to break once Kensei gets hold of him."

"That's true. I see you survived last week," he noted, reaching out to take her hand and squeeze it before letting it go.

"You know I can handle anything," she rejoined, smiling at him.

"Even strong people get weak sometimes, Minny," he reminded her.

"Then you be my strength, Toshi," she murmured, kissing him quickly on the lips before exiting the elevator.

"That's what friends are for!" he yelled to her before the doors closed.

Hana was already waiting for her in her office. He swiftly stood up out of her chair acting as if he had been doing something he shouldn't.

"Hi, Hana. Welcome back," she said, unsure as to how to proceed. She had no idea how awkward it would be being around him again.

"Minny, I'm sorry. I – " He stopped talking when she held up her hand.

"Let's not revisit that please and just go on from here. Just behave yourself," she warned him, giving him a smile.

"You're the greatest," he remarked, moving forward to embrace her briefly.

Minny's discomfort immediately abated when he let her go after a quick hug. He seemed determined to stay within proper boundaries this time. When she looked at him she was reminded of the quiet unassuming young man she had met when she first began working here. Revisiting the past sometimes was not so bad.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Minny rolled over with a groan to grab the ringing phone. The red digital numbers on the clock showed that it was 3:23 in the morning. Who in the hell would be calling at this time in the morning? God is not even awake at this hour.

"Hello," she croaked, patting Kensei's back as he shifted next to her.

"MINNY!" a panicked Gin bellowed.

Minny jerked the phone back from her ear moaning. Now she had a headache. "Gin, what's wrong, dear?" she mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

"What is it?" a sleepy Kensei inquired, pulling her against him. He threw his leg over her and hugged her tightly as if she were his favorite pillow. She may not be a pillow, but she was definitely his favorite thing to hug.

"Rangiku is in labor! Our baby is coming!" Gin exclaimed with so much excitement it virtually vibrated through the phone.

"She's what?" Minny asked, fully awake now. She couldn't hop up because was she was caught in a lung crushing embrace by her husband. She elbowed him in the ribs to jolt him awake.

"Ow! Those damned bony elbows of yours. What's up, sweetheart?" he yawned, loosening his grip but not letting go of her.

"We have to make a road trip. Rangiku is in labor. Get up," she ordered, elbowing him again before turning her attention back to the father to be who was chattering nervously on the phone. "We'll be leaving in about an hour to come your way. Tell Rangiku to keep her legs closed until we get there."

Gin chuckled then told her to be careful and not to hurry. They had not even left their house to go to the hospital yet. He was sure the baby would not be born until after Minny and her family arrived. She was still anxious to get there so she hurried out of bed. Kensei watched her with amusement as she flitted around the room to pack and make phone calls to Tesra and Byakuya to inform them that it was time for the baby, and she would gone for the next two weeks. They had already been notified that she was planning on staying with Rangiku and had been waiting for her call at any given time over the past week.

"Rangiku is my best friend and the closest thing I've ever had to a sister. I'm so excited. Can you believe it? Oh, I just can't wait." Minny jabbered anxiously while she prepared everything for the trip.

Kensei almost hoped she would fall back to sleep while they drove, but he knew she would not. He smiled pleasantly and nodded occasionally while she talked incessantly, although he doubted she noticed. She was cute when she was this ecstatic about something, but it was annoying as hell at four in the morning. He packed up the car while she gathered a less than thrilled Masashi out of his nice warm bed. Thankfully, the grumpy two year old did go back to sleep before they were out of the neighborhood. His wife fell silent once they were on the interstate, but she was not asleep. She wore a big contented grin on her face and her eyes virtually danced in the light of the dawning sun. He wished so much that they could have had another child. She was a great mother. A beautiful girl that looked just like her was what he had hoped for but some things just are not meant to be. Their little family of three could not be happier and more content.

* * *

><p>Minny had called ahead before they reached the hospital to inform Gin of their impending arrival. It was not hard to spot the silver headed man pacing back and forth nervously in front of the hospital. She was dropped off right next to him so Kensei could go park, and he would bring Masashi with him. She flung herself into Gin's arms hugging him tightly.<p>

"I'm so glad you're here. She's getting close. She's been asking for you," Gin said, putting his arm around her to her escort her into the hospital.

"Good thing it's only a four hour trip," she responded, getting into the elevator with him. She was surprised when he pulled her against him for another hug but this one was longer and more intimate. Her body relaxed into his, and she put her arms around his neck.

"I've missed you. You have no idea how much your being here means to the both of us," he murmured in her ear, stroking her hair.

"Gin, do you ever think about what could have been?" she inquired when he let her go.

"Yeah, I do. But maybe things are better this way. We share too many bad memories of the past together. I think it would have destroyed us sooner or later," he stated with sorrow in his voice, holding her hand as they stood side by side.

"I believe you're right," she responded, squeezing his hand briefly. Through the years, her relationship with Gin had become what her relationship with her real brother should have been. They had a close bond forged by events from their past that neither time nor people could break. From time to time they would revisit the topic of 'what if,' but at least it was not painful anymore.

Rangiku was red faced and panting when they entered the birthing room. Her eyebrows were pulled together and her brow furrowed while she gritted her teeth to endure the pain. When her pale blue eyes saw her best friend, her face released the agonized expression and a smile curled her lips – momentarily at least, until another contraction began.

Minny rushed to her side, grabbing her hand. She stroked the woman's back while she helped her breathe through the contraction.

"I'm so glad you're here," Rangiku panted, giving her friend a hug quickly before another contraction came.

"Mrs. Ichimaru, are you ready to push?" the doctor asked, positioning himself between the laboring woman's legs.

"Oh, I should leave," Minny said, her eyes meeting Gin's wonderful sky blue eyes as he stood on the other side of his wife.

"No, stay. You should be here for this," he assured her, narrowing his eyes when his fox face grin curled his lips.

Minny stayed and was able to share in the miracle of the birth of their child. It was much different from this side of things. She hated the helpless feeling that came with not being able to do anything to stop her friend's pain. However, it was nice to be able to observe the amazing event from a spectator's viewpoint without feeling the pain herself. Tears sprang to her eyes as she watched the doctor pull the baby up while a nurse handed scissors to the happy father to cut the cord. She stayed with her friend and the doctor while Gin and the nurse went to the clear plastic bassinet to tend to the baby.

"Minny, thank you for being here," Rangiku murmured in exhaustion while her friend pushed the sweaty hair back from her face.

"I wouldn't have missed this for the world. You know that. I'm so happy for you." She hugged the tired new mother, moving out of the way when Gin gently touched her on the back. "I'm leaving. You two need this time," she whispered in his ear after he handed their new baby girl to her mother.

"Her middle name is going to be Minny," he told her, holding her hand.

"She'll thank you one day for not naming her Ermintrude. Thank you. That means a lot," she said with tears running down her face.

"Why don't you and your family go to the house to get some rest? Here, I even made a key for you." Gin dug in his pocket for the key then pressed it into her hand.

"All right. We'll see you later," she promised, hugging him before she left. "Congratulations you two. On everything."

* * *

><p>When Minny woke up it was near sunset. Her two men were still asleep in the bed beside her so she carefully moved to the side so she would not wake them. She patted her son's back to lull him back to sleep when he whined and moved around. Once he was settled, she walked out of the room.<p>

Gin and Rangiku's house was a Spanish dream home. It was a sprawling single story stucco home with the traditional red clay tile roof. There were lots of wide open spaces and large rooms. It was as if the house had been picked up from an estate in Spain and dropped here just for them. She walked out onto the huge shaded veranda to enjoy the gorgeous view that overlooked the ocean. With a deep relaxed sigh, she sat down in one of the cushioned wicker chairs to listen to the soothing sounds of the waves crashing on the shore. She missed being near the ocean, but she would not trade any part of her world for any reason.

"Hi," Gin said quietly trying not to frighten her but failing, causing her to jump and turn her huge brown eyes on him. He smiled and ran his fingers through her hair as he passed by her to sit in one of the chairs.

"Well, hello, Daddy," she cheerily stated, grinning at him.

"Rangiku is asleep so I decided to come home for a while to rest," he explained, feeling as if he had to offer a reason as to why he was not still with his wife and new baby girl.

"Go lay down. I'll bet you fall asleep before your head even hits the pillow." She turned her attention back to the ocean when his eyes lingered on her face until she became uncomfortable. She did not know what he was thinking, but she could tell he was deep in thought about something.

"Minny, does Kensei know about your brother?" he inquired, still staring at her.

"Yes, Gin, he knows everything. Even that I killed him." Minny stared at her fingers that were nervously toying with the ribbons that laced up the front of her shirt. Why did he want to talk about this on such a wonderful day?

"Does he know…"

"No. _**I**_ killed Sosuke. I did not tell him anything about your involvement. As a matter of fact, he knows nothing about our past together except that we were really close friends."

"All right. I think I'll follow your advice about that nap," he said, pausing in front of her. Without warning, he bent down and briefly pressed his lips to hers. "Thank you for having the strength to move on with your life. You inspired me to move on with mine."

Minny was so stunned she could not even speak. She silently watched him walk away wondering where in the hell all that had sprung from. She closed her eyes to listen to the waves allowing the relaxing sound to wash over her rattled nerves and calm the storm he had had set off in her brain and her heart. Dammit. Men knew just how to say the wrong thing at the absolute worst time. Then she realized that by voicing these thoughts he had allowed himself to let go of pain he had been harboring all these years. With that epiphany, she was no longer able to be angry with him.

* * *

><p>The next two weeks passed in a flurry of activity involving calming the fears of two brand new parents and giving them advice on the best way to do things. Minny's first bit of advice was to throw all of the parenting books away because obviously none of those people have every actually had children. Babies don't follow textbooks and hardly ever is anything 'normal' or like they say it will be in those stupid books.<p>

Masashi was endlessly fascinated with the baby. He even wanted to hold her. After propping him up on the couch with many pillows and with his father sitting next to him, they placed the baby in his arms. His mother was ready with the camera to take plenty of pictures.

"Pretty baby. My baby," he mumbled, staring down at the pink bundle in his arms.

For some reason, an icy shiver raced up Minny's spine as if ice water had been injected into her spinal cord. She shook her head, unable to understand what had caused the strange reaction.


	26. Chapter 26

There's going to be a major leap through time in this chapter. I'm hoping it will still be a little more gradual than the way I ended things the first time. This is not the last chapter however. I still intend to add at a few more chapters before the end.

* * *

><p>Chapter 26<p>

Minny was lucky enough to be there for all of Masashi's firsts: first words, first steps, and first tooth; even his first fever and first serious injury. He would be left with a two inch scar beneath his kneecap from his first attempt at riding a bike without training wheels. His first day of school was way more traumatic for his mother than for him. She shed silent tears the whole way to drop him off at the school. He insisted that he did not need her to walk him in because he was a big boy and dropping him off at the front was fine. As she watched her little boy walk away with his head held high and his shoulders straight, she caught a glimpse of the man who would someday be. He had her dark hair but other than he was his father made over; a mini Kensei right down to how he carried himself. She sobbed loudly the whole way home. Her little boy was well on his way to becoming a man.

Although they tried to have more children, Masashi was the only one. That was fine with his father who doted on him and spoiled him so much Minny was worried he would be a self-centered brat. Her fears were totally unfounded because he grew to be a selfless, generous young man who loved his parents fiercely and respected them to the utmost degree. He was a great athlete and his father was always his greatest cheerleader. He was Captain of the football team, competed in weightlifting competitions, and became highly skilled in martial arts. With high intelligence and a strong drive to be successful, he made great grades.

Ichigo was a constant in Masashi's life being there as much he could and especially on the very rare occasions Kensei was not able to attend a game or competition. He was also a great counselor and mentor; there were things he could discuss with the man he called Uncle that he could not talk over with his father and would never dare to broach the subject with his mother. Those topics usually included girls or something closely related to them. Minny was fine with that because where girls were concerned she took the ignorance is bliss approach; the less she knew about his love life the better.

Her life was incredibly happy. Minny had the marriage she had never even dared to dream about. She thought that kind of happiness was never meant for her but to her surprise and delight it had come to her in the form of a white haired, dark eyed man who was as stubborn and irritating as he was romantic and loving. Things were going along wonderfully and they thought they had many more years in front of them. Their sixteen year old son was only year away from graduating and going to the university. They could not possibly be more proud of him. Life was great and getting better every day. They were discussing plans as to what to do in their retirement and envisioning themselves as an old married couple sitting on the front porch waiting for Masashi to arrive with the grandchildren.

Just before their seventeenth anniversary, something began to go horribly wrong. Minny did not know what was wrong but she knew something was just not right with her husband. After much nagging on her part and being practically kidnapped by his friend Shuhei, he was taken to the veteran's hospital for tests. The symptoms were vague like fatigue, bouts of depression, aches and pains that he never had before; they could be caused a hundred different things so they ran many tests. The whole disaster began with slightly elevated levels of liver enzymes which at first the doctors thought were not that big of a deal. It ballooned into a nightmare leading to the discovery of a monster called cancer ravaging his body. It would not stop no matter how hard they tried. Chemotherapy, surgery, herbal remedies, and even some highly experimental drugs were used in an effort to stop it, to kill it, to make the nightmare end. Every time it was defeated in one part of his body, it showed up in another. The doctor surmised it was most likely due to chemical weapons he had been exposed to during the skirmishes of war he had been involved in. Shuhei himself had begun to exhibit unusual symptoms soon after Kensei, but so far nothing, at least nothing terminal, had been diagnosed.

Every day was a blessing and a curse. It was a blessing because he was alive for another day; it was a curse because of the pain he had to endure. Kensei was doggedly determined to see his son graduate from high school. He might not be able to see him graduate from college or get married but he would damn sure be in attendance for this momentous milestone. A few months after Masashi's graduation and their eighteenth anniversary, they had come to the end. Kensei was tired and his body had worn down. None of them could fight it anymore. They would be hurting him if they willed him to live on.

"Minny, how long will you love me?" Kensei asked with his pain filled brown eyes locked on hers.

"Always and forever," she sniffed, squeezing his hand. She stifled a sob when he tried to squeeze back, but he was too weak.

"Guess we didn't know just how short forever would be did we?" he inquired with a sardonic grin on his jaundiced face.

Minny covered her mouth with her hand, but it didn't stop the pitiful wail of sorrow from escaping her. She felt a big, strong hand on her shaking shoulder and knew it was their seventeen year old son, Masashi. They were watching and waiting while the most important person in their lives died. It seemed like a bad dream when he was diagnosed with cancer over a year ago. Their forever had quickly been reduced from years to months. Now it was down to minutes. Minutes were all they had left. Over the last year, Kensei had seen his son graduate from high school with honors and been able to read the acceptance letter to him when Masashi was accepted into the coveted Ivy League university he had applied to. He was so proud of his boy; he always had been. No matter what the child did, even when he messed up, he was still perfect in his father's eyes.

Eighteen years of a blissfully happy marriage and family were about to be cut short by a stealthy killer they never saw coming. Minny lay down on the bed next to him to hold him in her arms for their last few minutes together. Tears streamed down her face and dropped onto the sheet pulled up to her husband's chin. She placed her ear against his chest to hear his heart; it was weak and slow but it was still beating.

"I love you, I love you," she repeated, hanging on to him with a pitiful desperation as if she could hold him back from the terrible specter of death.

"Minny, I love you, sweetheart. When I die, please don't die with me. Remember me, but go on living. Son," he whispered, grabbing his son's hand with a sudden burst of strength. "Take care of your mother. Find a good girl to love like I did, boy. I love you, Masashi."

"I love you too, Dad," Masashi bawled, leaning across his mother to receive one last hug from his father.

The three of them were huddled together in each other's embrace when Kensei took his last breath. It was a haunting sound that filled the room; one extended loud sigh that seemed to gain volume as it hung in the air then drifted away with his life. The machine stopped beeping to emit a terrible high pitched scream to signal that it was truly over. He was dead.

Minny clung to him still, screeching and howling like a wounded animal. She refused to let go no matter how much her son pulled at her. Her six foot tall son who had been the captain of the football team his junior and senior years in high school and a trophy winning weightlifter somehow did not have the strength to overpower his grieving mother to pull her away.

"Mom?" Masashi called, touching her shoulder. "Mom, please."

"Let me help," a deep male voice offered, putting his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Uncle Ichigo…what do we do with her?" he asked. His deep brown eyes were full of sorrow and fear as he stared at the orange haired man who had always been like a second father to him.

"We love her. We will have to love her hard and love her strong to get her through this." He moved over to the bed, touching Minny's quaking shoulder as she squalled with no restraints from the emotional storm going on inside of her. "Minny, honey, let him go. He's gone. Let go. You did all you could for him. You loved him for more than eighteen years and right up to the very end you were with him. A husband can't ask for more than that in a wife. We need you now. You can't leave us because we're hurting too."

"I-I-Ichigo," she stuttered uncontrollably, reaching out for him like a small frightened child reaches for a parent.

"I'm taking you home, honey," he whispered to her, gathering her into his arms to carry her out of the room. He passed by the waiting room where their friends who were their family waited. He simply shook his head as he walked by, rushing to get past before Minny could hear the sobs and cries that erupted in the room.

"Come on, Masashi. Let's take her home," Ichigo said, carrying her to his car.

The stunned teenager who was also in mourning, yet still too shocked to cry, obediently followed the man he had always called Uncle.

Minny curled into a ball when Ichigo laid her on the back seat of his car. She was thinking how he was the one who had always been there to pick up the pieces of her broken heart. Once again he would be the one to put her back together because she had fallen apart. She didn't know that he was serious about waiting for her when he had said it so many years ago. He had never gotten married and had always stayed close to her in a perfectly platonic and respectful way during her marriage to Kensei. He would be the one she depends on to get her through this, to hold her up until she could stand on her own again. She loved him; in a deep and unexpected way. She always had.

The human heart has an infinite capacity to love. Not only can it love in limitless quantities but also in various ways. Minny had loved her husband more than she had ever loved any man with an enduring devotion that will continue even though he is dead. She also loved the man taking care of her right now. She had loved him longer and deeper but in a more solid, constant way like a mountain. It's always there, it's part of the permanent landscape but sometimes you have a tendency to overlook the beauty of it to focus on other things. Then suddenly one day it looms on the horizon again, and there it is in all of its sublimity just waiting to be explored once more. Everyone needs two loves in their lives and Minny had those. One who loved her enough to make her a wonderful wife and mother. A fairytale love with a happily ever after that was cut off way too soon. Another love, that is eternal and timeless; it exists beyond time itself and endures despite life and what it brings. It is always there, always ready, always needed, and always, always returned to the giver.

* * *

><p>One year later…<p>

Masashi looked down at his phone and smiled. "Hi, Mom!" he cheerily exclaimed into the phone.

"Hi, baby. Saturday is the first anniversary of your father's death. Are you coming home?" Minny inquired although she already knew the answer.

"Of course. I can't miss that. I need to be with you. I love you, Mom."

"I love you too."

"Mama?" Masashi queried.

Minny covered her mouth to keep from sobbing. He had not called her mama since he was eight. "What is it, sweetheart?"

"I've changed my major. I want to be a doctor. I want to do research. More specifically I want to work with soldiers and discover why they suffer from some of the diseases they do, especially cancer. I have to find cures, Mama," he said, his voice breaking with emotion.

"Oh, baby," she sniffed. "I'm so proud of you."

"Will Uncle Ichigo be there?" he inquired.

"Yes. Why?" She knew she was being nosey but she was his mother – she had the right to be nosey.

"There's something I need to discuss with him."

Oh, dear.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27 

Minny was kneeling down in front of Kensei's grave with her head bowed. Ichigo and Masashi stood behind her, each with a hand on her shoulders. She was crying softly as she rubbed the petals of the red and white roses she had laid on it.

"Mom, we'll leave you alone for a little while," Masashi said, kneeling down to kiss her on the cheek.

Minny silently nodded staring into a face that was just like her husband's. She kissed him on the cheek watching the two of them walk away. When she felt like they were far enough away, she gave into the howling sobs that had constricted her throat. A year later, and it still hurt so much.

"What did you need to talk to me about?" Ichigo inquired, running his hands through his hair. He could hear Minny crying and it was killing him, but there was nothing he could do.

"It's about Mom," Masashi said, turning to look at his 'Uncle.'

"What about her? Is she okay? Is there something she's not telling me?" he asked in a panic, his brown eyes wide with alarm.

"She's fine really. It's not anything like that. It's…" He struggled for the words to put this correctly. "I worry about her being alone. Dad's gone and I'm away at the university."

"She stays busy with work. She has a lot of friends. She has me. She knows I'm here for her." He shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned against a tree.

"Why don't you marry her?" her son blurted out. He could not find a delicate way to say it so he just put it out there.

"What? It's only been a year and…"

"And you two love each other. I'm not stupid. I know how you feel about her. She feels the same way."

"Masashi, I'm sorry," Ichigo apologized, his face turning a light shade of pink. How could the boy know? They had never said or done anything inappropriate especially not around him.

"Don't apologize. I know you two never did anything to hurt my Dad. Mom loved him, but I could see how deeply she cared for you too. It was that day at the hospital when Dad died. That's when I knew," he murmured, staring down at the ground. "It was hard to miss when you held her in your arms as you were taking her out of the hospital. Remember what you said?"

_"We love her. We will have to love her hard and love her strong to get her through this." _

"Yes, I remember," he replied, kicking at the ground. He raised his eyes to look at the boy, well, the man actually, who stood before him. His heart almost broke with how much he looked like his father. He swallowed the lump in his throat suddenly feeling very uncomfortable.

"Marry her. Be together. I won't have to worry about her because I know she will be taken care of by someone who loves her as much as I do. As much as my Dad did," Masashi added, watching the other man turn his back to him.

"It's too soon. She hasn't gotten over losing your father yet," he insisted, staring at all of the perfectly straight rows of grave markers and headstones that stretched out before him.

"She never will get over him, Uncle Ichigo, to be perfectly honest. But she still loves you. Ask her how she feels, what she thinks. You know, mom, she won't have a problem telling you what she really thinks. Please at least talk to her about it," he begged him.

"Talk to me about what?" Minny asked, appearing next to Masashi who jumped as if a ghost had materialized next to him. "Son, what's wrong with you?"

"How long have you been there?" he inquired, holding his hand over his pounding heart to keep it in his chest.

"I just walked up and heard you tell your Uncle to talk to me about something," she answered, looking from one stunned man to the other. "So what is it? Come on, you guys, you're scaring me. What is it?"

"Minny, will you marry me?" Ichigo asked unceremoniously. He had meant to say a lot of things, but he never intended for that to be the one to come out of his mouth.

"Well, that's romantic," Masashi snapped sarcastically, rolling his big brown eyes.

"You're too damn much like your mother, boy," the other man shot back.

Minny was unable to speak. She stared at Ichigo still trying to fully process his question in her befuddled brain. A marriage proposal? Here? Now? Her eyes met his, holding his gaze. She had loved her husband with everything she had within her, but he was gone and could never come back. A man stood before her who had loved her and loved her a long time from a distance. He had given her the time to have her perfect marriage and her family. He was alive and he was waiting – waiting for his chance to love her. She stared at the ground while her mind jumped from one thought to the next.

_Maybe when we're old and have just a few years left, we can get married then. We can live out our last days blissfully happy with each other finally. _Ichigo's words spoken so long ago ran through her head. He had uttered those words to her when she had told him of her intentions to be with Kensei. He was always a fool; a silly romantic fool who could not seem to stop loving her.

"I don't want to wait until I'm old have only a few years left," she muttered under her breath. She raised her eyes back to his. "Yes! Yes, I'll marry you."

To her surprise, her son was the first person to hug and kiss her. She reluctantly let go of his hand as he stepped away to allow Ichigo to take her into his arms.

"I'm going to the car. Not that you two can hear my right now," he mumbled as he walked away with a smile on his face.

"Minny, I love you. I always have," Ichigo whispered, holding her tightly in his arms.

"I know," she sniffed, tears running down her cheeks again. She looked into his eyes as he wiped away her tears with his thumb.

"Let's go. We have a lot to discuss." 

* * *

><p>One year later…<p>

Ichigo stared down at his wife in disbelief. He held her tightly against him burying his nose in her hair to breathe her in. They had just gotten married earlier in the day and were now in the penthouse suite of one of the most exclusive hotels in the world thanks to their friend Gin. The location did not really matter because he doubted they would see the light of day anyway. They had gotten into their hotel room and changed into something more comfortable: a filmy little nightgown for her and silk boxers for him. They had yet to make it to the bed; instead indulging in an extended make out session standing beside the bed. For long minutes he had been standing with his arms around her. He loved holding her like this.

Minny wondered if he was just going to hug her all night or make love to her. It was their honeymoon after all. She leaned back to look at his handsome face, smiling at him.

"I love you, honey," he murmured, kissing the tip of her nose.

"I know. I love you too. I'm so glad you waited for me," she stated breathlessly while tears formed in her eyes.

"You were worth the wait. Now you're all mine," he said, tilting her chin up with his finger to kiss her.

Minny smiled against his lips. His kisses still excited her. Her hands rested on his waist while he pulled her close and gently kissed her. He treated her like a fragile piece of glass as if he was afraid of being too rough with her and breaking her. Her hands slid up his well-toned body and twisted around his neck. She slid her tongue between his parted lips teasing his tongue. A moan escaped his lips and he reached down to cup her behind and pull her up so she had to wrap her legs around his waist. There's her man. She giggled as he carried her to the bed still kissing her softly and sweetly. A low sigh passed her lips when he carefully lay her down on the bed.

"Minny, I'm about to make love to you," he said, lying down next to her.

"Oh?" she giggled without meaning to. "You feel like you have to warn me now?"

"I could just jump on you," he threatened, rolling on top of her. "Take you by force."

Things stopped being funny real fast as the area below their waists pressed together making a sensual friction that grabbed their attention. Suddenly it was like things had been years ago. The maddening lust that would overtake them and drive them into each other's arms for nights of breathtaking passion reignited within them now as they gazed into each other's eyes.

"Ichigo," she whispered, raising her hips into him. Move, dammit!

"Minny." His lips pressed against hers and he rolled off next to her so he could touch her breasts with both hands.

In the end, time had diminished nothing in their need for each other. It had only been lying dormant, and they had found the way to bring it back to life. When Ichigo entered her, they held onto each other for dear life. They were husband and wife and this was their first time making love as such. It was a poignant moment that had been awaited for many years. How they got here held bittersweet feelings that they had come to terms with so they could move on with their life together.

Minny held his gaze as he moved inside of her. Pleasure coursed through her like gentle lapping waves as he moved with unhurried, lengthy strokes. Her eyes closed when his lips lowered to hers. It was so wonderful to have him like this again.

"Oh, honey," he moaned in her ear, moving his hips faster.

Minny bit her lower lip as the pressure of the impending orgasm began increasing with a gradual build up. She arched into him as she was carried to the top and the pleasure released within her like the dam of a river breaking with a long steady flow of bliss that covered her and washed over her tenderly. Her eyes opened to look into his deep brown eyes. She pressed her hands against his hips feeling the muscles flex as he moved. Her fingers slid up his back then her hands flattened against his shoulder blades.

"Ichigo, my husband, I love you," she murmured while holding his intense gaze.

"Oh, my god!" he exclaimed, thrusting into her fast several times before he reached his climax. Who would have guessed such a sweet, sincere sentiment could send him over the edge? He had always had been a romantic at heart.

Minny smiled when he pulled her against him while he lay next to her. She sighed contentedly when he kissed her forehead. The emotion laden afterglow of their lovemaking settled over them like a warm blanket when they held each other.

"Minny, how long will you love me?" Ichigo asked, looking into her eyes that quickly filled with tears.

Minny was stunned and could barely breathe at first. She and Kensei once had asked each other that question during particularly emotional moments. Tears fell from her eyes when she remembered the last time he had asked her that was on the day he died.

"_When I die, please don't die with me. Remember me, but go on living," _he had implored her on that day.

Minny kissed Ichigo on the lips, then looked into his eyes. "Always and forever."


	28. Chapter 28

This is the moment I've dreaded for a while. The story has come to an end, and this is the final installment. Thank you xfang-girlx and Nila101 for being such faithful readers and reviewers. You've really been a great source of inspiration and strength on my journey to get this written. This is dedicated to you two, and I hope you like it.

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><p>Chapter 28<p>

Minny sat next to Ichigo staring at the young couple in front of them. Masashi had called and asked to bring a girl home for Christmas. They never dreamed it would be Aoko, Gin and Rangiku's daughter. The two had dated on and off the eight years he attended the university to become an Oncologist(Cancer Specialist), but they never imagined anything would come of it. Now, here the beautiful girl sat in front them holding their son's hand. Aoko looked like her father with his silver hair and sky blue eyes which were shaped wide and round like her mother's so the world could see the gorgeous color. She had a beauty mark like her mother, but hers was positioned beneath the corner of her left eye.

"Mom, Dad," Masashi began nervously, visibly shaking as he squeezed Aoko's hand so hard his knuckles were white. "I have asked Aoko to be my wife. And she said yes."

"It's about damn time," Ichigo muttered, receiving a slap to the chest from his wife. "Ow!"

Minny stood up to move around the coffee table to hug her future daughter-in-law. Tears were running down both women's faces. This girl was the closest thing she ever had to having her own daughter. She had watched her grow up almost as closely as she watched her own son. The child even had her name for a middle name. How could they not have a close relationship? She grabbed Aoko's hand to look at the ring. It was gorgeous! A big square diamond on a simple braided band; understated and elegant.

"Good job, son. Congratulations!" Minny said, hugging him and kissing him on the cheek.

The wedding was planned to take place in spring. They wanted to get married in the backyard of the house where Masashi grew up.

"Mom, you've married two of the greatest men I've known in that very spot. I want to be like them and marry the woman of my dreams there, too."

Minny cried. 

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><p>Minny cried quite frequently for several years, but for joyful reasons. She cried at the gorgeous wedding that took place in her backyard when her son married her best friends' daughter. The tears came again several months later when her son told her had received a grant, a facility, and a whole research team to begin his work. The announcement that a baby was on the way was definitely a time for happy tears. Her next reason to cry would be arriving very soon.<p>

"Mama!" Masashi yelled into the phone.

Minny knew what was coming. She had heard this same panicked voice from his father-in-law when Masashi's wife was on the way. She poked Ichigo and signaled to him that it was time. The baby was on the way, and they needed to be as well. After he kissed her, a smile curled her lips when he bounced off the bed to go get their suitcases and put them in the car.

"We're on the way to hospital. You and Dad need to leave soon," Masashi advised her. A yowl was heard from his wife in the car with him. "It won't be long."

"All right, baby. We'll be there soon," she assured him, sighing happily when she hung up.

"Grandma, are you ready?" Ichigo inquired when he came back into the room.

"Eh! You make me feel so old," Minny grumbled, getting out of the bed to get dressed. She squealed when her husband grabbed her and pressed his lips to hers.

"You still look exactly the same to me as the first day I saw you. God, Minny, I still remember that day. You were so beautiful standing there dutifully beside that asshole. Then when you crushed his balls with a smile on your face I knew you were the woman for me," he stated in a completely serious manner despite the smile on his face.

Minny laughed pushing against his chest for him to let her go. Her eyes met his when he held her firmly against him, unwilling to let her go. His smile was gone and wanton desire had replaced the amusement in his dark brown eyes.

"Minny, I love you. I always will," he whispered before pressing his lips to hers for a passionate kiss that rendered her breathless.

"So Grandpa, you up for a tumble before we go meet our grandchild?" 

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><p>"Has she had the baby?" Minny asked Gin, kissing him briefly on the lips when they arrived at the hospital. Ichigo and Rangiku had come to terms with this type of greeting between them long ago.<p>

"Not yet, but it will be soon," he said, shaking Ichigo's hand and pulling him in for a brief hug. The two men had grown quite close since becoming family. He turned back to Minny with a concerned look on his face. "Go on in."

Minny ran down the hall of birthing rooms. Seeing her son propped against the door jamb of one of the rooms instead of being inside made her heart skip a beat. She ran to him, flinging her arms around his neck because he looked so pale and scared.

"What are you doing out here?" she inquired, her eyebrows drawing together with worry. He had that same look his father always had when he was stressed: his eyebrows were drawn together in a single line over his nose and his face was set in a deep, fierce scowl that could frighten a person. "What is it, baby?"

"They're prepping her for a c-section, Mom. Something's wrong and they have to take the baby," he explained, nearly jumping out of his skin when the door opened.

"You can come back in, Masashi," Rangiku informed him when she poked her head out. A smile lit up her haggard face and tears sprang to her eyes when she saw her friend. "Oh, Minny!"

Minny grabbed her, hugging her tightly. She held her fellow grandmother-to-be's hand as they walked into the room together. She fought the tears as she watched her son tenderly wipe the tears from his wife's face. Her daughter-in-law so looked so tired and pale. The doctor was busy as work to help both the mother and baby. She squeezed Rangiku's hand when the sharp, high pitched cry of the baby filled the room. There was an audible sigh of relief from everyone. She stepped forward to talk to Aoko who was openly sobbing after hearing her baby cry.

"Oh, Mom, you made it just in time. I-I'm sorry," Aoko stammered, a fresh flood of tears streaming down her face. She had begun calling her mother-in-law mom on the day of the engagement announcement.

"For what, sweetheart?" Minny asked, confused. She grabbed a tissue from the table beside the bed to wipe the girl's face.

"I failed as a mother," she squalled, soaking the tissue with fresh tears.

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Aoko. You got that baby here safe and sound and that's what counts. Just because you didn't squeeze it through your –"

"MOM!" yelled Masashi, glaring at his outspoken mother. He looked down at his wife who was giggling hysterically. He smiled - only his mother could make someone laugh at a time like this. He had always loved that about her.

"Did your son tell you the baby's name yet?" Aoko inquired with a big smile on her face.

"No not yet. I wanted it to be a big surprise. I wanted to see her face," Masashi said with a mischievous grin.

Just for a second, Minny saw her little boy again. She squeezed her daughter-in-law's hand that she was still holding. The girl refused to let her go. She reached for Rangiku with her other hand, feeling her friend's arm go around her waist.

"Mom, we're going to name him Kensei Gin after both of our fathers. We're going to call him Kensei," her son proudly announced.

"Oh, my god," she gasped, tears flooding down her face. "Oh, that's wonderful. I'm so glad."

The nurse walked over with a mewling, blue blanketed bundle in her arms. "Who gets to hold him first?" she asked, looking at the four people.

"Mom, we want you to have the honor," Aoka said, squeezing Minny's hand.

"Me, no, you hold him," she insisted, ignoring the steadily flowing tears that were now dripping from her chin.

"Mama! If it weren't for you, none of this would be possible."

"Oh, Masashi, don't be silly!"

"No, Mama, really. You married Dad and had me. You're responsible for setting up Aoko's Mom and Dad. Mama, please," her son begged her. "You would honor us by being the first to hold Kensei."

The nurse held the baby out for the Grandmother with the beautifully gray streaked dark hair and bloodshot, leaking brown eyes. Minny took a deep breath, positioning the baby into the crook of her arm so she could hold him securely and look at his wonderful face.

"Oh, he's so perfect," she sobbed, touching his velvety chubby cheeks. She counted the little bitty fingers on each hand and kissed his forehead. She wanted to keep holding him, but instead handed him to his mother. "I've got to go tell Ichigo and Gin."

Minny kissed both of her children and turned to leave. She slowly walked to the waiting room to inform the grandfathers of the miraculous news. She hugged Gin before he quickly disappeared down the hall. Her arms encircled her husband's neck, and she really unleashed the tears with a wail.

"Honey, what is it?" Ichigo asked with concern, stroking her head to comfort her as she trembled in his arms.

"Ichigo, they're going to call him Kensei," she howled, almost making him laugh. She could be so wonderfully dramatic sometimes. "I'm so proud of our son," she murmured into his neck.

Ichigo smiled. Our son. The memory of how the young man had told him just how much his 'second Dad' meant to him on the day of his engagement still brought tears to his eyes. It had been an honor for Kensei's son to call him Dad too.

"_I know you'll never replace my real Dad. That was never your intention," _Masashi had told him_. "But you are my Dad now. I feel like the luckiest person in the world. How many people get to have two fantastic fathers in a lifetime?"_

The same ones who get to have two fantastic husbands. Ichigo looked down at his wife and kissed her. How long had loved her? Always. How long will he continue to love her? Forever. 

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><p>Sunday dinners became a very important part of their lives as a family. They switched back and forth between the in-laws homes on Sundays. Holidays were spent at Masashi and Aoko's home. The young couple followed suit to their parents only having the one child. Kensei grew up to look like his namesake; the grandfather he never knew but heard a lot about. After Kensei graduated from high school, he moved in with Minny and Ichigo to work at the Shinigami Corporation in the Personnel Department. He wanted to work awhile since he had not yet decided on a major for his college studies.<p>

So many years have gone by and so many lives were led out happily and fulfilled leaving a legacy of love that would never die. 

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><p>One day Kensei came home and could not find his grandparents. It was just after sunset and he remembered they liked to sit in the backyard swing and watch the sunset together so he decided to check there. He breathed a deep sigh of relief when he saw them sitting there with their backs to him in the fading light of day. He smiled to see that his Grandma's gray head, complete with her signature bun hairstyle, was leaning on his Grandpa's shoulder.<p>

"Grandma, Grandpa!" he called out, walking toward the swing.

Why didn't they move? He ran around to see they were holding hands with content smiles on their faces. Their faces seemed awfully pale, and they did not respond at all. He touched them, and they were freezing cold. It was a warm summer evening. Within an instant he knew what was wrong.

"Oh, no," he murmured, tears sliding down his cheeks. He pulled out his cell phone to call his father. "Dad? I've got bad news."

"Are they dead, son?" Masashi asked. He had been waiting for this call.

"Yes, both of them. They died together just like they wanted to," he sniffed, swiping at the tears with the back of his hand. "Dad, they look so happy."

"They were, son. There's a story they never told you, but I think you need to hear it. They told it to me the night before they got married. It's a love story really, and it's a very special one."


End file.
